GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Roger Self, a prominent businessman from Gaston County, who drove his car into the Surf & Turf Lodge in Bessemer City in May of 2018, killing two people, including his daughter, Katelyn Self, and daughter-in-law, Amanda Self, was sentenced to a minimum of 38 years in prison for their murders.
The judge heard closing arguments Friday after Self testified for the second time under cross-examination from the defense. That testimony was followed by witness impact statements from Amanda Self's father and Katelyn Self's sister.
After closing arguments, the judge handed down Self's judgment. He was sentenced to consecutive prison sentences of a minimum of 230 months to a maximum of 288 months for second-degree murder in the killings of Amanda Self and Katelyn Self. He was also given a minimum of 70 to a maximum of 96 months for assaults on his son, Joshua Self, and wife, Dianne Self.
Self's attorneys argued his mental state was the contributing factor for his actions and pushed for a lighter sentence. Earlier in 2021, Self-entered an Alford plea, which is a plea used when a defendant does not admit to committing a crime but acknowledges there may be evidence that could secure a conviction.
"Rational thought was not going on in Mr. Self's head," said defense attorney Rick Beam.
The prosecution said Self has shown little remorse for his actions, instead, only asking for forgiveness from his son because of what will happen to him.
"We have heard explanations. We have heard rationales," District Attorney Locke Bell said. "We have never heard Roger Self say, 'I'm sorry.'"
Self has already served more than 1,000 days since the crash.
Thursday was the first time Roger Self took the stand and spoke publicly about the deadly crash. He said he felt "extreme guilt" over visiting strip clubs and massage parlors, and discussed in detail his mental health struggles in early 2018.
"I've never physically hurt anyone, would not ever, ever hurt anyone," Self said. "I couldn't understand why the emotion was not there. I could not understand that."
"Mommy's dead," Tommy George, the father of Amanda Self, said as he describing the moment told his grandson that his mother was killed. "I never heard a child scream like that, ever."
George said that Self wouldn't look him in the eyes before the crash and said he believes Self knew what he was going to do that day.
George said people still approach him in public to talk about how his daughter saved their loved ones while working as a nurse.
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The first day of the sentencing phase saw Joshua Self take the stand, who said his father's mental health had been declining in the months leading up to the crash. Catherin Picard, an EMT with Crowders Mountain Rescue, was one of the first people on the scene, and said Roger Self told her "That he knew what he had done, that he did it". A Bessemer City Police Officer also testified that Roger Self tried to reach for his firearm as Self was handcuffed and taken into custody.
During the second day of sentencing, Self's defense attorney took efforts in an attempt to seek a shorter prison sentence for the former businessman. Dr. George Corvin, a forensic psychiatrist who had multiple sessions with Self, said Self had symptoms of depression and anxiety for several years but had expressed guilt in early 2018 for visiting strip clubs and massage parlors, along with an extramarital relationship with a housekeeper. Corvin said Self started taking anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications but said they weren't helping him and that Self went cold turkey weeks before the crash. Corvin also noted Self had delusional thoughts, which included he should take not only his own life but also the lives of his family members.
Before being led away by deputies, the judge allowed Self to address his family.
"That feat that I had of losing my family came true," Self said. "I will die in prison, and then I will be free because of Christ, and his love for all of us."