John Jefferson
Left: Jacob Blain, background, and Willow Reynolds, foreground, in court on Feb. 24, 2025. Right: Judge Mark Latchana during sentencing (Law&Crime).
A Michigan judge made it very clear that he did not think a sentence reached following a plea agreement was enough to match the violent crime.
In Michigan’s Seventh Circuit Court, Judge Mark Latchana sharply asked for the attention of 19-year-old Jacob Blain as he sat alongside Willow Reynolds, 18, as they were both sentenced for the 2023 murder of their 44-year-old roommate, Adam Reynolds (no relation to the defendant). Both pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, armed robbery, and other charges.
During Monday’s sentencing, Latchana wanted it known that he believed that the agreed-upon sentence was “not appropriate, and not adequate for the violence that was inflicted, but it is the result of a negotiation.”
Before they heard their fate, Blain and Willow Reynolds listened to family member of victim Adam Reynolds speak about the man they admitted to stabbing and beating with a shovel on May 2, 2023. They also sprayed Adam Reynolds with mace. The two teenagers were reportedly upset that their older roommate wanted to hold a meeting about house rules, according to reporting at the time by WJRT, a local ABC affiliate.
Both Blain and Willow Reynolds apologized to Adam Reynolds’ family.
When Latchana spoke, he stated to the courtroom that he “struggled, quite frankly” because “the agreement is for something less than what is potentially the maximum sentence.”
He added, “I will say that for purposes of record and the other guidelines, it’s not appropriate, OK? It’s not enough time for what you two did. I don’t honestly know if there is a number that’s enough time for what you two did.”
At one point while he was speaking, he laced into one of the teens.
“Mr. Blain — look at me when I’m talking to you, sir,” he said. “You spent the entire sentencing staring over there into this corner. When those three women were talking, you were looking over here in the corner. I know you apologized, but they deserve at least to be looked at in the eye for what you did.”
Latchana condemned the teens’ actions — “the evil that you subjected this gentleman to” — but gave them credit, albeit reluctantly, for taking responsibility for what they did and for sparing the victim’s family a trial. “That’s about the only good thing I can say with regard to either one of these defendants.”
He then delivered his sentence, which he said was “not appropriate, and not adequate for the violence that was inflicted, but it is the result of a negotiation,” adding, “I am not happy, and I am not comfortable with it.”
Latchana sentenced both defendants to 20 to 100 years behind bars, with credit for 291 days of time served, plus restitution.
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