Life sentence for man who killed 3 in South Carolina residence – WSOC TV

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A person who shot and killed three folks in a South Carolina residence the place he was residing after which used their smartphones to ship himself cash for a airplane ticket was sentenced to life in jail Friday after pleading responsible.

Jeffery Powell killed his aunt’s husband, a cousin and his cousin’s daughter of their Greenwood residence final August. He additionally shot and wounded an 8-year-old boy who hid in a rest room along with his lifeless sister for a number of hours earlier than going to a neighbor’s residence to search for assist, Solicitor David Stumbo mentioned.

Powell, 37, got here into 32-year-old Megan Dinkins’ bed room on Aug. 2 and shot at her and her kids as they slept, Stumbo mentioned.

He then waited for 56-year-old Randy Perkins to return residence from his in a single day shift at a plant, taking pictures him thrice at the back of the pinnacle. Perkins nonetheless had his lunchbox slung over his shoulder when police discovered his physique, the prosecutor mentioned.

[ ALSO READ: Officials: Person of interest in case of missing SC mother now charged with murder, kidnapping ]

Police speeding to the house needed to step over Perkins’ physique to examine the remainder of the house as a result of the boy was not sure if Powell had left, Stumbo mentioned.

Dinkins was discovered lifeless in her mattress. She appeared to have written “J” in blood simply above her head.

“What these guys discover after they get inside is nothing in need of a nightmare,” Stumbo mentioned.

After the killings, Powell used smartphones belonging to Dinkins and Perkins to switch cash, investigators mentioned.

“He wanted cash for an Uber experience and a airplane journey,” Stumbo mentioned.

Investigators uncovered the cash transfers and airplane ticket inside hours and Powell was arrested at a motel in Jacksonville, Florida.

Powell pleaded responsible to a few counts of homicide and one depend of tried homicide. He was sentenced to a few consecutive life sentences with out parole. He by no means gave investigators a great cause for the taking pictures, however police suppose he frightened he was about to get kicked out of the home.

[ ALSO READ: North Carolinians traveling to South Carolina for cheaper gas prices ]

Perkins’ sister Wanda Perkins Knowles mentioned her brother was “a person of integrity, compassion, humor, loyalty, fact, love and generosity.”

“He let him stay inside his home. He fed him. I don’t perceive,” Knowles mentioned.

Powell’s sobs could possibly be heard by means of the courtroom as she spoke.

Powell later tried to speak to the household of the folks he killed immediately. He turned towards them and spent 25 seconds preventing off sobs and wiping his eyes along with his wrists handcuffed earlier than saying “I’m so sorry” and dissolving into extra tears.

Stumbo mentioned he thought Powell deserved the demise penalty. However the 8-year-old boy’s household didn’t need to should testify at size and Stumbo mentioned South Carolina’s lack of demise penalty medication, which have prevented the state from executing anybody in over a decade, may have made in search of that punishment a “symbolic gesture.”

“Proper now in South Carolina you may have a decrease life expectancy in a normal inhabitants in a most safety jail than you do on demise row, which is ridiculous,” Stumbo mentioned.

(WATCH BELOW: South Carolina man arrested after screwing pet’s paws to door body)