Covington killer gets life in prison for the murder of veteran Mandeville police captain

COVINGTON, LA (WVUE) - Mark Spicer, a 25-year-old from Covington, will face life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Mandeville Police Captain Vincent Liberto.

In a crowded Covington courtroom, Spicer apologized to the victim’s extended family, but the deep grief of Liberto’s family and friends persists.

Family and friends of Liberto were present in court moments after confronting Spicer, who confessed to the murder of the well-respected husband, father, and law officer.

“We have chosen a plea deal to ensure this monster remains behind bars for the murder of my husband, " said Tracy Liberto.

That deal, outlined in a contract for life imprisonment, takes away all avenues of appeal as it sentences Spicer on five counts, including first-degree murder of a police officer.

Spicer wore shackles, a prison jumpsuit and long hair as he addressed the court, saying he understood the deal to spare his life, but Liberto family members made it clear that they might’ve preferred the death penalty if it weren’t for repeated delays.

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“We are no closer to achieving justice than we were when my husband was killed, the road to Justice has been marked with obstacles, delays and a lack of answers,” said Tracy Liberto.

Just before his life sentence was imposed, convicted killer Mark Spicer gave a brief statement to the court saying, “I’m sorry for my situation. My family grieves; their family grieves. I hope they can find peace.”

Liberto’s family members declined to comment on Spicer’s confession.

Liberto’s murder on Highway 190 in Mandeville 4 years ago has left a huge hole in the lives of his family, the community and Liberto’s former chief, who praised the family’s unity in the face of loss.

“Despite the evil, they’ve done good with it, and they are my heroes,” said former Mandeville chief Gerald Sticker.

But Liberto’s family remains angry, saying Spicer will still be able to see his family, even while in jail. At the same time, they won’t ever have the opportunity to talk to Vincent again.

“The loss of Vince left a void…the pain of the last four years is immeasurable,” said Tracy Liberto.

In addition to the first-degree murder of a police officer, Spicer pled guilty to attempted first-degree murder for wounding Officer Ben Cato, aggravated flight from an officer, obstruction of justice, and illegal possession of stolen firearms.

He will spend the rest of his life behind bars in Angola performing hard labor.

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