Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — Thirteen years ago, when Joshua Buie was 19, he wouldn't directly admit to pulling the trigger that resulted in the death of 21-year-old Stephen Lasiloo, despite pleading guilty to murder.
On Tuesday, while recounting his crime to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, Buie, now 32, admitted, "That's what I did."
"I wasn't trying to kill anyone that night," he said. "But you shoot at somebody, that's what's going to happen."
Buie says he "couldn't believe I did what I had done," which is why he says he initially wouldn't admit to being the gunman.
"Instead of being a man and fessing up to it … (I was) not being fair to the victim's family," he said. "That's something I'm extremely sorry about."
In July of 2009, Buie, who was 17, was at a party with friends at a home near 11300 South and 450 West when he got into a dispute with Lasiloo over a stolen iPod. The two separated. But after Lasiloo walked away, Buie was in a car that drove by. At that point, Buie got out of the vehicle and again confronted Lasiloo, this time with a gun.
"(Buie) pointed a revolver at (Lasiloo) and shot the gun three or four times," court documents state.
Two of the shots hit Lasiloo, who fell down with a gunshot wound to the chest. Though Buie was only 17 at the time, he was charged as an adult, convicted of murder and sentenced to a term of 15 years to life in the Utah State Prison. A parole hearing was originally scheduled for 2029. But due to Buie being a juvenile when he committed his crime, his first parole hearing was bumped up to Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Buie recounted how he initially didn't think he had killed Lasiloo, and went back with his friends to celebrate, believing he had gotten back at Lasiloo for disrespecting them.
When the drugs and alcohol wore off, however, he says the gravity of the situation hit him.
Today, Buie says years of classes at the prison have taught him how not to "fall into anger traps" so easily and different ways of coping with situations other than reacting by lashing out. He says he has not joined any gangs or got any tattoos while incarcerated.
"The biggest thing I learned is it's about who you surround yourself with," he told the board. "Makes no sense to take these classes and do nothing from them."
Board Vice Chair Melissa Stirba, who conducted Tuesday's hearing, noted that Buie has had many successes while incarcerated, but also several recent disciplinary write-ups, including one just a couple of weeks ago for hitting or slapping another inmate, something Stirba says is concerning for the board.
"The moment I hit him I knew I made a mistake," Buie said, "But yeah, I just lost my cool."
Buie claims the other inmate was consistently pestering him, even after being told to stop, and then said something that angered Buie. He claims after hitting the other inmate, Buie walked away and did not further engage.
Lasiloo's two children, Tyson and Brooke, now teenagers, briefly spoke to the board about growing up without a father figure in the home and how they wish they had been able to know their dad better.
"I'm extremely sorry," Buie said in response to their comments. "I love my father. I'd hate it if he was taken from me. That's why I didn't want to admit to my crime…But I truly am sorry for what I've done."
The full five-member board will now vote whether to grant parole. A decision is expected to be made in a few weeks.
