Two men get life in prison for murder of GV advisor

Maceo Scott and Timothy Miller, both 25, were sentenced by separate judges to life in prison with no chance for parole Thursday, June 6. In April, both men were convicted of armed robbery and first-degree murder of Grand Valley State University adviser Santiago Zapata. Miller maintained that he was not a murderer, while Scott asked for forgiveness. Miller claimed he never entered the home, but admitted to helping plan the robbery. According to all accounts, Scott was the one who beat and stabbed Zapata to death in the basement. Prosecutors say that the men were going to rob Zapata, but eventually killed him during the robbery. Zapata had worked as an adviser for many years, mentoring young students in the community and encouraging them to pursue higher education. Miller was a student Zapata had mentored at GVSU.