Man Sentenced In 7 Slayings Vows To Fight On

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis man who was convicted last month of killing three children and four adults during a home-invasion robbery three years ago was sentenced Friday to life without parole plus 88 years, but vowed to appeal.

Marion Superior Court Judge Robert Altice handed down the sentence for Desmond Turner, 31, in the 2006 slayings on Hamilton Avenue, the largest mass murder in the city's history.

Altice found Turner guilty of seven counts of murder and other charges at the end of a nine-day bench trial in October.

Turner proclaimed his innocence during the sentencing hearing, saying that he was convicted by "lies, falsehoods and misinformation."

"This is only the beginning of the fight," Turner said, who compared himself to Jesus Christ at his sentencing.

Family members of the victims testified about the pain they have endured since the slayings.

"It will never be enough, because our family's gone," said Maria Flores. "But it's (sentencing) good. We can't complain about that. At least other families can't be hurt by him again, and at least we can go to sleep now in peace."

Altice cited the shooting deaths of the children, ages 11 years and younger, among the reasons Turner deserved the sentence.

"He is an absolute unremorseful monster, and … justice was served today," said Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi. "He is going to spend the rest of his life behind bars."

Turner waived his right to a jury trial in exchange for prosecutors dropping their request for the death penalty.

While the prosecution lacked DNA evidence directly linking Turner to the killings of seven members of the Covarrubias and Valdez families, several neighbors and acquaintances testified that Turner had talked repeatedly about robbing the family.

"Mr. Turner's innocent. The wrong man is going to prison. That's what this case is about," said Brent Westerfield, Turner's attorney. "I don't know who is the right man."

James Stewart, Turner's co-defendant in the case, goes on trial on Nov. 30.