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A teenager who killed his grandmother will soon learn how long he will serve in prison.
Logan Mott, 17, pleaded guilty to killing his grandmother and trying to cover it up.
Mott's father, Eric, took the stand Wednesday on day 1 of his sentencing hearing.
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Investigators say Mott shot and stabbed Kristina French while she lay in bed and then buried her body in the backyard back in Nov. 2017.
The prosecution showed the video of his arrest near the Canadian border where Mott was heard speaking with border patrol agents.
The prosecutor, Joseph Licandro, also showed photos of French's wounds.
A major revelation Wednesday was Mott was active in what's being described as a communist online chat room. People in that group even gave Mott advice on how to dispose of a body.
Mott's dad was the final witness of the day. At one point, he described how kind his mom was and how he couldn't think of any reason Mott would want to hurt her.
French's uncle was also in court. He read a letter that both he and his wife wrote.
They said French moved to Florida a few years ago because she didn't want to "miss Logan growing up."
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Both asked for the lightest sentence possible, saying they know French has forgiven him.
The lead investigator on the case, Det. Neil Chandler, said Mott was trying to eventually flee to Russia after the murder.
We also heard from Mott's former therapist who described him as a talkative, smart and political kid who liked socialism and was interested in Russia and the Ukraine.
Mott at one point impersonated a Ukrainian freedom fighter online and pretended to be a German exchange student at school.
Mott's childhood was marked by a nasty divorce between his parents.
But as far as what drove him to kill his grandmother, this is what Det. Chandler believes happened.
"At the end of the day, I felt like she didn't have to die. She simply got in the way. Got in the way of a teenager wanting to run away," Chandler said.
Mott's dad has kept in contact with his son since he's been in jail. He attended his high school graduation where his dad added that he was valedictorian.
The sentencing hearing continues Thursday at 11 a.m.
You can watch the sentencing hearing live on the Action News Jax live stream:
Action News Jax Lorena Inclan has live updates from inside the courtroom:
Currently inside the Logan Mott sentencing hearing. His family is here as well. Mott, 17, killed his grandmother Kristina French back in 2017. You can watch our live stream of hearing by clicking here: https://t.co/WYApoSOiGu @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Mott has pleaded guilty to murder in the 2nd degree @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Mott just walked into the courtroom in an orange inmate uniform. He nodded at his family. His father is here but his mom is not, she will be here later this week @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
As part of his exhibits, prosecutor Joseph Licandro, plans on presenting medical examiner photos of Kristina French as evidence @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Today's hearing is expected to be the longest in this process. Lots of evidence will be presented as well as testimony from various witnesses. First witness is Det. Neil Chandler who was the lead detective on the case @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Det. Chandler says he noticed blood on the wall when he entered a back room of the Neptune Beach home that Logan Mott's dad owned @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
First picture shown is the fire pit in the backyard of Eric Mott's home @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Now showing the shallow grave where Kristina French was buried @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Prosecutor now showing body of Kristina French wrapped in duct tape and plastic @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Det. Chandler: There were stab wounds to Ms. French's head and her hands @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
As photos of Kristina French's hands are being shown, family can be seen grabbing tissue. Prosecutor also showing pics of the gun shot wound to French's head, the public is not seeing those @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Det. Chandler says he found Logan Mott's Instagram page where it appeared he was involved in a "communist site" where teens would chat about communist ideas @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Logan Mott was 15 at the time of the murder. Kristina French worked with children, Det. Chandler described it as being in the health care field @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Det. Chandler says Logan Mott was trying to flee to Canada and then eventually make his way to Russia to meet other people he chats with in the "communist chatroom" @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Other people in this chatroom were commenting saying that if "got nick" (Logan's IG name) goes through with it "we really shouldn’t do anything for a while so we don’t pick up too much attention”. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
There's a lot of talk in this chatroom about someone dying and "got nick" is cleaning it up. People were giving Logan Mott advice on how to dispose of the body @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
People in the group were asking Logan Mott for pictures. Logan says no that "it's F'ed up" @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Logan Mott's response to friend who asked about his grandmother: "about my grandmother, just pretend she was never born, don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to" @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Prosecutor shows video of Logan Mott getting pulled over by border patrol agent driving his grandma's car @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Det. Chandler says firearms were found inside the car Logan Mott was driving when border patrol pulled him over @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Det. Chandler: "her [Kristina French] death was violent that did not have to happen and there was also a great deal to cover up that death. At the end of the day she didn’t have to die. She got in the way of a teenager wanting to run away" @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Public defender Charlie Cofer now cross examining Det. Chandler @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Det. Chandler says he did not believe the communist chat room was some sort of "sleeper cell" that he needed to alert homeland security about. It was described as a bunch of teens creating this pseudo world @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Det. Chandler says Logan Mott presented himself as a Ukrainian freedom fighter in the chatroom @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Det. Chandler says Kristina French was likely laying in bed when she was shot. Blood was found inside French's breathing mask @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Prosecution will read letters from family and friends of Kristina French who could not be here. First letter is from Marie Bailey who lives in Arizona @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Bailey was Kristina French's best friend. Expresses how French survived a difficult childhood at the hands of her step father and mom @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Bailey: "when she (French) walked into a room it immediately became brighter" @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Uncle of Kristina French getting emotional as he reads letter that he and his wife wrote together. "We miss her sense of humor, her hug, her smell" @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Kristina French's aunt says she has forgiven Logan Mott but her uncle has not been able to. Uncle says he's certain Kristina has forgiven him. They both want Logan to get the lightest possible sentence @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Kristina French moved in with her aunt and uncle after she got pregnant with Logan's dad, Eric, when she was 15. She lived with her aunt and uncle on and off. French moved to FL a few years ago, uncle says she "didn't want to miss Logan growing up" @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
Licensed clinical social worker now on the witness stand. She primarily treats adolescents, children @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) October 16, 2019
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