Man Gets 90 Years For Attack On Irish Student Natasha McShane

A man has been sentenced to 90 years in prison for the attack on Natasha McShane and her friend Stacey Jurich four years ago. The 90-year sentence includes consecutive sentences of 25 years for each of the attempted murders of Ms McShane and Ms Jurich, and a further two 20-year sentences for aggravated armed robbery. Judge Jorge Alonso ruled that Heriberto Viramontes must serve 85 per cent of the sentence due to the violent nature of the crime. According to RTÉ News, Judge Alonso said the lengthy sentence was based on the "brutality and cold-blooded heartlessness displayed on the night". Armagh native Ms McShane, who had been attending the University of Illinois at the time, suffered a severe brain injury as a result of the attack. Her mother delivered a victim statement at the sentencing, telling the court how her daughter is now wheelchair-bound and in need of constant care. Ms Jurich and Ms McShane were walking home after a night out in the early morning of April 23rd, 2010 when Viramontes approached them from behind and struck both women across the back of the head. Ms McShane was hit with such force that she was knocked unconscious and fell to the ground while Ms Jurich remained alert as emergency services and police arrived before she too blacked out. Viramontes stole their purses and left the scene with a woman named Marcy Cruz who received a 22-year sentence for her part in the crime. Both were arrested a week after the incident and a baseball bat was recovered from the van they were travelling in on the night of the attack.