Joseph Paul DeMarco, a 48-year-old white supremacist, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the brutal, racially motivated murder of 38-year-old James Roseman in Sacramento, California. The court delivered the maximum sentence on Friday, closing a tragic case that had shaken the local community.
A Hateful and Senseless Crime
The murder happened on 9 June 2024 in the Arden-Arcade area of Sacramento. Roseman was fixing his car near a check-cashing store when DeMarco, from inside a moving vehicle, opened fire with a .22 caliber handgun, shooting him multiple times. Prosecutors confirmed the attack was completely unprovoked.
DeMarco had been angry over a robbery he believed was committed by a Black man. Fueled by rage, he went “hunting” for any Black person. That night, he targeted two men. One survived. Roseman didn’t.
“This was an act of hate, not self-defence or mistaken identity,” said Sacramento Deputy District Attorney Matthew Moore.
A Courtroom Filled with Pain
During the nearly 90-minute sentencing, DeMarco showed no remorse. Roseman’s family gave heartbreaking statements, with his sister, Latrina Davis, directly addressing the killer.
“You couldn’t see past the colour of his beautiful Black skin,” she said. “I think about his last breath every single day.”
His mother, Rose Bryant, broke down while recalling her last conversation with her son the day before the murder. “He was hopeful,” she said. “Now, I’m living with pain I can’t explain.”
Davis added, “You are the reason my parents cry when no one is looking. Our world will never be the same.”
Disturbing Details Revealed in Court
Judge Maryanne Gilliard called DeMarco “dangerous, volatile, and unstable.” The court was shown disturbing footage of DeMarco hanging a Black baby chick — something he reportedly did because he believed Black and white animals should not mix.
He also returned to the murder scene shortly after the killing to record a video, which the judge said raised even more concern about public safety.
DeMarco refused to speak three times during the hearing. When he finally spoke, he only said, “I’m not guilty, ma’am.”
A Criminal History and an Arsenal of Weapons
DeMarco had been previously convicted in 2014 of making criminal threats and was legally banned from owning firearms. Yet, police found several illegal weapons in his possession after his arrest, including multiple rifles and handguns.
The jury found him guilty in February 2025 of first-degree murder, with added charges for committing a hate crime, using a firearm, and firing from a moving vehicle. He was also convicted on eight additional gun-related charges.
His accomplice, who drove the vehicle, testified in court without any promise of immunity. He described DeMarco’s behaviour that night, including circling blocks to look for more victims.
Joseph DeMarco’s life sentence ends a chapter of hate-driven violence, but for the family of James Roseman, the pain will never truly end. What makes this case even more horrifying is that James was targeted simply because of the colour of his skin. His death is a painful reminder of how racism continues to exist, even in modern-day society. Though DeMarco will spend the rest of his life behind bars, the loss of Roseman — a loving son, brother, and father — is one that can never be replaced. His family continues to grieve, determined to keep his memory alive and to speak out against hate.
