Fresno man sentenced to 32 years for killing William Carney in 2023
Damien Murphy, who pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter, told the court he would repeat the shooting a million times while protecting his family.
By Yara Nasser ·
William Carney’s family in Fresno, California, received a verdict on Thursday after waiting more than three years for the conclusion of the case. Damien Murphy, the man who shot Carney in Central Fresno in October 2023, was sentenced to 32 years in state prison. The sentence follows Murphy’s September plea of no contest to voluntary manslaughter, a charge that allowed him to avoid a first-degree murder conviction and resulted in a lower prison term than a murder verdict might have carried.
Murphy faced the victim’s family in court one final time. Essence Carney, the victim’s daughter, described the immediate impact of the loss, stating that it felt as though all her dreams died at once. She told the court that her father would never see her on prom day or walk her down the aisle at her wedding. Her mother added that the natural joy in her life had been replaced by grief. The family noted that Carney left behind five children and was less than one month away from his 40th birthday at the time of the shooting.
During the sentencing, Murphy remained expressionless for more than 20 minutes while family members and friends delivered statements. Adam, a childhood friend of Carney, addressed Murphy directly, saying he could not hate the defendant because he knew Murphy was suffering more than Carney. The judge emphasized the weight of the crime, telling Murphy to think about William and his family during every second of his 32-year sentence. When given the opportunity to speak, Murphy offered no remorse for his actions.
Murphy justified his conduct by stating he was protecting his family. He told the court that he would not apologize for that decision and that he would do it a million times. The judge responded by hoping Murphy would eventually change his mind and show remorse, warning him not to be disrespectful to the people he had hurt. The court denied Murphy any chance for probation.
The defendant is ordered to return to court in December for a restitution hearing. More than a dozen friends and family members attended the session to witness the end of what they described as a painful case. The family’s wait for justice concluded with the formal imposition of the 32-year sentence, marking the final legal step in the prosecution of Carney’s killer.
