Man convicted of killing Temple student sentenced to at least 25 years in prison

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Latif Williams, the Philadelphia man convicted of murdering Temple University student Samuel Collington in 2021, was sentenced by a judge to 25 to 50 years in prison Tuesday.

Williams also pleaded guilty to a carjacking that happened 10 days before Collington's murder. In February, a judge found Williams guilty of third-degree murder and other charges in the November 2021 killing in North Philadelphia .

The sentence is just what Prosecutor Joanne Pescatore had asked for, adding it's the best possible outcome after an unthinkable tragedy.

"It's everybody's worst nightmare," Pescatore said.

More than two and a half years since Collington's murder, his mother was finally able to thank the team who she says brought her family some justice.

"We want to thank Joanne Pescatore for all her hard work," Molly Collington said. "We also want to thank Detective Murray for finding our son's killer."

A judge also heard from another victim who talked about what happened days before Collington's deadly encounter with Williams.

"He carjacked another man 10 days earlier," Pescatore said, "and so for those reasons, I think Judge O'Keefe's sentence was reasonable and fair in this particular case."

On Nov. 28, 2021, Collington, 21, returned from Thanksgiving break to his off-campus apartment in the 2200 block of North Park Avenue, near Dauphin Street. Police say Williams attempted to carjack Collington before shooting the Liberal Arts student twice in the chest. Williams later turned himself in to Philadelphia police .

Collington grew up in Prospect Park, Delaware County, and graduated from Interboro High School .

Six friends and family members spoke about the college student's character. He was an Eagle Scout who had interned with the city of Philadelphia. They said he was an inclusive and caring young man who would've most certainly run for office someday.

His mother said her son's murder terrorized her family and the entire community at large.

"We continue to pray for the safety of the city of Philadelphia," Molly Collington said.

Williams apologized to Collington's family as his defense team asked for a seven-and-a-half to 15-year sentence.

In court, Pescatore called that a "joke."

"Latif Williams has to pay for what he did," Pescatore said.