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Teen gets 20 years to life in prison for murdering friend

Adrian Sawyer, 16, sits in Washington County Court on Friday during his sentencing for the murder of Maverick Bowman on July 26. (Provided photo — Shawn LaChapelle, special to The Post-Star)

FORT EDWARD — A Ticonderoga teen who killed his friend last summer was sentenced to up to life in state prison Friday as he heard the victim’s mother describe how the murder had devastated her and her family.

The defendant, Adrian J. Sawyer, 16, angered Judge Kelly McKeighan during the proceeding when his response when asked if he had a statement about the killing of 15-year-old Maverick Bowman was, “I’m alright.” That prompted the judge to tell him that was the wrong thing to say.

McKeighan went on to lambaste Sawyer for his seeming lack of remorse, saying that his communication with others before and after the murder and attempts to deflect blame to Bowman “defies logic.”

He said Sawyer seemed to want to make his actions a social media event by sending at least one friend a video and pictures of him holding a machete next to a sleeping Bowman’s neck before the killing. He said Sawyer seemed to be trying to blame Bowman for hard feelings over a girl, showing intent and a lack of sorrow.

After the killing, Sawyer called friends for a ride home, and comments he made led police to check the Bowman home, where they found the dead teen.

“You planned this, you thought about it, you wanted the world to know,” McKeighan said.

The judge’s comments came after a sobbing Amber Pelerin, Bowman’s mother, told McKeighan and Sawyer about the devastating effects of Bowman’s death. Maverick’s younger brother has not been able to move on and enjoy any of the things he used to do with his older brother, like play football, while she frequently has nightmares.

She said her son Maverick had a bright future, with a very high IQ as a child, and loved to be outdoors and help his family and friends whenever needed.

She asked that Sawyer never be released from prison.

“Because of what Adrian did, we will never get to see Maverick again, hear him laugh or see what amazing things he could have done,” she said.

“He took my son’s life, and pretty much mine and my family’s,” she added.

The two teens were among a group that had been hanging out at the home, partying and working on vehicles, in the days and hours before the July 26 killing.

They were the last two at the home on county Route 2, Putnam, that is owned by Bowman’s family when Bowman went to sleep and Sawyer became homicidal for reasons that are unclear. The two were described as best friends and were classmates at Ticonderoga High School.

Pelerin and Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan revealed information that hadn’t been previously released by police, including that Sawyer texted pictures to friends of him holding a machete.

After the killing, Sawyer poured fuel on Bowman’s body and started a small fire, “desecrating” the body, the judge pointed out.

Authorities have said the motive is unknown, although Sawyer had been upset about a conversation with a former girlfriend earlier in the night. Jordan said he believed Sawyer “created” the issue himself as an attempt at some sort of justification for what occurred, and that Sawyer’s “portrayal of this incident has not been accurate.”

Sawyer said the two teens smoked marijuana before the killing, but a drug test showed Bowman had not used the drug, Jordan noted.

“What he did was destroy two families with one incredibly horrific act,” Jordan said.

Jordan said Sawyer was close to Bowman’s family, and he had concerns that Sawyer showed no remorse for what he did. He said he showed no emotion the day of his arrest or at any court appearances.

“Maverick was asleep and completely defenseless,” Jordan said.

Sawyer’s lawyer, Marc Zuckerman, said Sawyer has been remorseful and was “very nervous and scared,” so he could not speak in court. His statement that he was “alright” simply meant that he had no desire to speak, not that he was actually alright under the circumstances, Zuckerman explained.

He said his client has a 61 IQ and a long documented history of mental illness, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

Zuckerman said the defense had a “viable” argument against the charges that Sawyer was under the influence of an “extreme emotional disturbance” at the time of the killing, but his client wanted to accept responsibility for what he did.

“He wanted to do that because he did not want to fight this case, deny his guilt in any way,” he said. “It was Adrian’s decision all along to not have a trial, not make the family of the victim go through an emotional trial.”

Bowman died from a knife wound to his neck that severed his jugular vein and carotid artery. Police initially believed the machete had been used to kill Bowman, but a review of the injuries by a forensic pathologist led to the conclusion that a serrated knife appeared to be the murder weapon.

Sawyer will have to serve at least 20 years before becoming eligible for parole. He will be housed in designated state prison units for teens until he turns 18.

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