PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Florida man will spend at least two decades behind bars after admitting he was one of two suspects who brutally beat an 83-year-old man to death five years ago in North Philadelphia.
The judge sentenced 26-year-old Jacob McMann to 20 to 50 years behind bars, following his December guilty plea to third-degree murder, conspiracy, burglary and robbery in the beating death of Mauricio Gesmundo.
In the early hours of New Year’s Day 2021, Gesmundo’s children found him unconscious, bound and gagged inside his Hunting Park home. A safe containing thousands of dollars was missing.
After more than two weeks in the hospital, he died.
Prosecutors said DNA from a latex glove found at the scene matched Gesmundo’s and two others, including McMann.
At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, McMann told the judge that he feels guilt and shame for what he did, and asked for forgiveness from the family.
George Gesmundo, Mauricio Gesmundo’s son, said his father was a hard-working Filipino immigrant who was taken from 10 children, 20 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
“He was a loving man. He did a lot for his community. He was the neighbor people ran to,” he said. “For him to have all these ailments and surpass a life of 80 years, and his life was taken not on his own terms, is truly inhumane. I am still in disbelief to this day.
“As a loving and forgiving individual that my dad was … I must accept [McMann’s] forgiveness, but I won’t forget what he did.”
Prosecutors said McMann has not helped authorities identify the second suspect.
“It brings some closure and I know we should be grateful, but I believe there will always be a void until there is full closure,” George Gesmundo said.
There is still a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.