(WWJ) A young man will spend decades behind bars after he admitted to killing his teenage ex-girlfriend last year, covering up the crime with help from his mother.
A judge on Friday sentenced 24-year-old Jalen Pendergrass to 25 to 50 years in prison for the murder of 17-year-old London Thomas.
Earlier this month, Pendergrass pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old London Thomas, who was last seen alive at his home in Inkster on April 5, 2025.
London London Thomas / Crime Stoppers of Michigan
The teen was reported missing in April of 2025, after she was last seen at Pendergrass' Inkster home.
An extensive, multi-agency search ultimately led police to Thomas' body, sealed inside a plastic bin in a vehicle in Southfield.
An autopsy found that Thomas died from asphyxiation.
Pendergrass ultimately admitted to strangling Thomas during an altercation.
Speaking to WWJ Newsradio 950's Darrylin Horne on Friday, Thomas' father, Cedric Salisbury, said he feels a mix of emotions.
"I'm happy, I'm sad, I'm just angry — a little bit of everything," Salisbury said. "She was a vibrant 17-year-old girl with her entire life ahead of her. I felt like, personally, I wish he would've got life."
"You know, there's no back to normal after losing your child," he said. "There's an empty space in our family that can never be filled."
As part of Pendergrass' plea, the felony murder tampering with evidence, and unlawful imprisonment charges against him were dismissed.
Pendergrass's mother, Charla Pendergrass stands accused of having a friend move the bin with Thomas' body inside.
Her case is moving forward independently, with the trial scheduled to begin Oct. 25. She faces possible life in prison on charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy to tamper with evidence.
