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Man who pleaded no contest in murder of DPD Sgt. Steil sentenced

Posted at 9:40 AM, Feb 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-15 18:39:56-05

The man who pleaded no contest - guilty but mentally ill in the shooting death of Detroit Police Sgt. Kenneth Steil was sentenced to a minimum of 38-75 years in prison.

Marquise Cromer, 22, was charged with first degree murder, murder of a peace/corrections officer, three counts of assaulting and resisting a police officer, felony firearm and other charges in Steil's death.

He pleaded no contest - guilty but mentally ill to second degree murder charges, assault with intent to murder and carjacking. His sentencing agreement calls for 38-75 years in prison on the second degree murder charge.

During his sentencing, Steil's wife, sister and friends spoke remembering him.

After, Cromer spoke saying that he was hearing voices and that he is schizophrenic. He said that someone told him to do it, and he thought it was God.

Cromer was also sentenced on several other charges, which includes minimum of 5 years and maximum of 10 years on assault charges, minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 30 years for carjacking charges, and 2 years consecutive on all charges for felony firearm.

The shooting happened in September 2016 as police were pursuing Cromer for a carjacking and shooting of his father.

Cromer shot Steil in the shoulder with a sawed-off shotgun. Steil was taken to the hospital, but died from medical complications a few days later, just days before he was expected to be released from the hospital.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig called Steil "a leader who believed in leading from the front," and an "American hero."