FATHER WHO MURDERED SON IN GREAT FALLS GETS LIFE
A Great Falls father who murdered his five-year-old son back in 2019 has been sentenced to 100-years without parole. Emilio Renova, 33, (pictured above) was handed the sentence this morning before Cascade County District Court Judge Elizabeth Best.
The body of the victim, Antonio Renova was found in a Great Falls apartment bedroom. Hee was bleeding from his nose, and mouth. Police also found brain matter covering the boy's clothing back in November of 2019.
His mother was also sentenced today. 34-year-old Stephanie Byington was sentenced to 100-years on a deliberate homicide charge and will not be eligible for parole until she is 74.
Stephanie Byington
Racso Birdtail received 15-years for his part. He was with the mother and father at the time of the murder. He pleaded guilty to assault and tampering with evidence.
Racso Birdtail
At the sentencing today, the father had little to say other than he was, "sorry all this happened."
The father of Stephanie Byington, Quincy Badmoccasin, told the court he wished the father, Emilio Renova had gotten the death penalty.
Antonio Renova had a difficult upbringing. He suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome. He was then put into foster care and jeff and christy Fosters were attempting to adopt him when a judge with the Crow Tribal Court ordered the Fosters return Antonio to his birth parents, Stephanie Byington and Emilio Renova. the ruling by the judge came because of strict rules about non-Native Americans adopting Native American Children.
According to Antonio's foster grandfather, Al Cotton, the unnamed judge reportedly told those at a hearing, "I'll be damned if I'll be the first Crow judge to let a white couple adopt a Crow child.