WACO, Texas (KXXV) — The journey to justice in a decades-long cold case is finally over for one local family.
Lauren Adams spoke to the victim’s mother and brothers who says they knew all along who did it, and now they’re glad he’s behind bars.
Bree Breichner was just 17 when she was hit and killed in Bruceville-Eddy in 2008.
"She had a broken back, broken hands, and basically every bone in her body was broken," said Bree's mother, Lenda Port.
Gregory McLean, 54, pleaded guilty to being intoxicated behind the wheel.
Friday, the courts sentenced him to four years behind bars for leaving the scene of that accident.
“It’s surreal — there was nothing more satisfying than seeing him led out of the courtroom in handcuffs," Port said.
The family hugged each other outside the courthouse.
Bree’s big brother David Ford read his mother’s impact statement inside the courtroom.
"I just talked about 16 years gone — those missed holidays, missed birthdays, things like that. It was tough," he said.
The brothers got a tattoo in memory of their baby sister.
Bree’s other brother Daniel Ford has a lot of built-up anger from 16 years of no answers, no conviction, and no accountability for what happened to Bree.
“There’s no way we wanted to wait 16 years for a conviction — I told him we could have ended this 16 years ago, but you chose to make us suffer for 16 years and lie about what happened to my sister," Daniel said.
Daniel has a message for anyone who drinks and drives.
“It only takes one time to have an accident and you can change people’s lives forever. It’s not worth it. They have Ubers, taxis, or just walk," he said.
Bree's mother Lenda, who called the DA’s office every week for 16 years, is just thankful for their hard work.
“They have stood by us the whole 16 years and tried to get justice for us," she said.
Lenda says her daughter was killed on Mother’s Day weekend in 2008 and to have him sentenced the Friday before Mother’s Day this year was a gift.
She says Bree would have been proud they fought for her for so long.
