COVINGTON, La. — The man who shot and killed beloved Mandeville Police Captain Vincent Liberto Jr. following a chase and crash on Highway 190 in Mandeville in 2019 has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole or probation.
Mark Spicer was in a car that sped off from another officer on Sept. 20, 2019 and at some point Liberto joined the pursuit. Spicer did not pull over and eventually there was a crash. Police said Spicer got out of his car and fired shots into Liberto’s vehicle, killing him.
“The pain we’ve endured the last four years is immeasurable,” said Captain Liberto's wife Tracey Liberto. She said she reluctantly agreed to accept a plea deal after numerous delays in order to bring the issue to an end.
Family, friends and fellow law enforcement officers showed out in force for the sentencing and to support the Liberto family.
"September the 20th of 2019, one of the hardest things I ever had to do as chief of police, is go find Tracey Liberto at her place of employment and I had to look at the horror in that lady's eyes, because she knew I was not coming with any good news," said former Mandeville Police Chief Gerald Sticker, of the day Liberto died.
Spicer pleaded to a count of first-degree murder, one of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated flight from an officer, obstruction of justice and possession of a stolen firearm.
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