Family members of Alicia DeBolt were allowed to speak out Tuesday, as the 14-year-old girl’s murderer received a life sentence.
Barton County District Judge Hannelore Kitts told family members, “Just because Mr. Longoria is absenting himself does not mean you should not have the opportunity to address the court.”
The girl’s mother, Tammy Conrad, read from this prepared statement:
“Judge Kitts, I was asked how this murder made me feel or how it affected me with my life, family and my overall self.
“Since I was a very small child I was going to have a dozen babies when I grew up. When I was 19 years old those dreams were shattered. I was told by a doctor I would never have any children of my own.
“I came to terms with that choice God had made for me and I help(ed) my husband at the time raise his children. I was a mom and it felt great. In September of 1995 I was feeling different; something was happening with my body and I didn’t know what it was. Richard said, ‘Tammy you are pregnant,’ I said, ‘I can’t be, I am not supposed to have children.’ I went and had a pregnancy test done and the woman who took the test said, ‘yes, your husband is right, you are pregnant.’ Here I have waited and waited for many years and at the age of 32 I was going to have my baby. She was my miracle baby.
“Alicia was born on May 1, 1996; she was an easy pregnancy and even easier baby. She didn’t fuss much and she was loved by many. Her brother Chris and her sister Dawn couldn’t get enough of her time or her company. The nurses and doctors at the hospital said she looked like a little china doll. My babygurl was perfect, she brought joy and happiness to our family.
“Alicia excelled in everything she tried. She was a competitive gymnast, cheerleader, great friend, who listened and was compassionate and liked to make sure everyone around her was happy.
“Alicia was the glue to our family; she cared and wanted family around at all times, she didn’t think she had step-siblings they were her sister and brother, her nieces Hailee and Gracie were her world she couldn’t wait at times to be around them.
“So when the monster killed my babygurl he not only took my miracle baby he took part of all of our lives away, part of my spirit, zest for life and the happiness my Alicia would have brought to me now and the rest of my life.”

‘This is what you took away’
Dawn DeBolt, Alicia’s sister, also presented a statement to the judge, which she later shared:
“You (I) can shed tears that she is gone, or you can smile because she has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back, or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left. Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her, or you can be full of the love you shared. You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back. Or you can do what she’d want smile, open your eyes, love and go on.”
But at the hearing, Dawn DeBolt’s comments were about the killer’s absence.
“I just want to say obviously we proved something. He’s too big of a coward to face us today. I hope everybody can see he obviously committed this crime, and she got him.”
In the afternoon, the family held a news conference and Dawn DeBolt spoke at length. She said she was stunned when Longoria didn’t attend the hearing. “I was mad,” she said. “Today was our day to be able to say, ‘This is what you took away.’ We wouldn’t expect any less than this, because he’s not a man.”
Many family members wore T-shirts that read “The Alicia-fied Experience: If I die young, make me a rainbow.” Dawn DeBolt explained that the family formed an “Alicia-fied Experience” team for a Crime Stoppers tournament after the teen they knew as Babygurl was killed. The last time family members saw her was the night of Aug. 21, 2010, leaving for a late night party. Instead, she got into a vehicle with Adam Longoria, who had become obsessed with her, stalked her, and that night murdered her and set her body on fire.
Alicia had sometimes tried to act older than her age, Special Assistant Attorney General Kevin O’Connor would say. And the girl’s mother, Tammy Conrad, said everyone needs to be aware of the dangers in the world. But, O’Connor stressed again Tuesday afternoon, the death of this young girl – a girl looking forward to her first day of high school and to being a cheerleaders – is entirely the fault of one person, Adam Longoria.

‘She was just a little girl’
O’Connor said he’s never seen a case where the convicted defendant didn’t attend his own sentencing. “It’s not surprising,” he said, adding it is consistent with actions Longoria has taken throughout his life. “He’s a coward. He’s a monster.” ...
“I’m sick of Adam Longoria,” O’Connor said. Even after years of prosecuting murder cases, O’Connor said, he was reminded of what the loss a victim means to family members. In this case, the things a teenager might have done will never be known. “The ripples go way out and they never seem to stop. She was a little girl. ...
“I’ll say it again, she was just a little girl.”
“She was wonderful,” Tammy Conrad said of her Babygurl. “She was a blessing from God to me.” As a day-care provider, Conrad said she warns youths and parents to be aware of what can happen to a girl trying to act older than her age.
“These kids just need to open their eyes, and parents need to open their eyes, too,” she said.
“Alicia told me that, ‘It will never happen to me.’” Dawn DeBolt said. “Getting in one vehicle, and her life was gone. One wrong turn; it can happen to anybody.”
“We don’t want her to be remembered as a murder victim, but we don’t want her to be forgotten,” Dawn DeBolt said later. So she explained the “Alicia-field” T-shirts: “Everything she did was ‘Alicia-fied. ... (She was) goofy, beautiful, energetic, caring, loving supportive. She was just awesome.” And while Alicia was also all of the things a “pain in the butt” sister can be, Dawn said, “We miss our teenager. ... She Alicia-fied everything.”