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WILKES-BARRE — Sean “Juice” Talmadge is likely to spend decades behind bars after he was sentenced on a count of third-degree murder on Monday.
Talmadge, 33, appeared before Luzerne County President Judge Richard M. Hughes, who ordered Talmadge to spend between 240 and 480 months, or between 20 and 40 years, in a state correctional facility, court records show.
In April, Talmadge pleaded guilty to a count of third-degree murder in the 2017 death of Ramon Torres, of Kingston.
Talmadge admitted to killing Torres in the basement of an abandoned home located at 442 S. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre.
Torres was first reported missing on April 24, 2017, when Bianca Maldonado, the mother of his child, told police she had not seen him since April 22, when she found his backpack in the area of Coal Street Park.
Months later, on June 20, police discovered Torres’ body in the basement of the home after Kingston police received a report from an anonymous witness.
The witness told police they were hanging out with Talmadge, who was homeless at the time of the crime, in late April, when the two came across Torres.
Talmadge and Torres argued throughout the day and purchased a bottle of liquor at a state store on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre. They went to the South Franklin Street home, where they continued to argue.
According to the witness, Torres realized he forgot his backpack and wanted to leave, but was struck by Talmadge.
The witness told police Talmadge kicked Torres down the basement stairs and stabbed him in the stomach and neck several times. He allegedly told the witness he was not leaving until Torres was dead.
Prosecutors withdrew a count of abuse of a corpse in exchange for the guilty plea.
According to records, Talmadge was also ordered to pay $1,433.98 in fines and was given credit for time served since his arrest.
He was remanded to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility, pending his transfer to a state correctional facility.