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WATCH: Man sentenced to life in prison without parole in death of TPD officer

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  • Tyrone Cleveland entered into a plea deal that gave him life without the possibility of parole. If he had gone to trial he would have been facing the death penalty.
  • In June 2022 Cleveland killed off-duty Tallahassee Police Department Officer Christopher Fariello.
  • Watch how Tallahassee Police Department officers lined the courtroom for the sentencing of Cleveland.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

At the Leon County Courthouse Tallahassee Police Department officers lined the courtroom for the sentencing of Tyrone Cleveland.

In June 2022 Cleveland killed off-duty Tallahassee Police Department Officer Christopher Fariello.

Fariello was off duty when his patrol car collided with a car driven by, now convicted, Cleveland.

Moments before this, Cleveland shot three of his family members at a house on Saplin Court.

When Cleveland ran from the scene, he was driving along North Monroe and Capital Circle when Cleveland turned his car around into oncoming traffic before colliding with Officer Fariello's patrol car.

"When I think about my cousin, I will not let the memory of you taint my image of him," said one of Fariello's family members. "At the end of the day, I know my big cousin, my hero was one of the most amazing and kinds of souls in the world. He will forever be one of my biggest role models and you will be nothing but a rock stuck to the bottom of my shoe you will forever be a nobody. And my cousin will be a hero. Even though he has now gone. I know my family and I will be forever grateful for all the memories we got to create."

Cleveland's wife pleaded for mercy from the court.

"I want to apologize for my husband," Clevland's wife said. "I know it don't change anything and I'm not gonna say he was not wrong. We were all victims just as well as ya'll lost yall loved one we lost him too. I just hope and pray that you'll find it in your heart to forgive him, because you need the peace to be able to go on regardless of how you feel. Life do go on."

Cleveland entered into a plea deal that gave him life without the possibility of parole. If he had gone to trial he would have been facing the death penalty.