PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD - This past Friday, a Maryland man was sentenced to 50 years in prison for killing his roommate last year over a TV remote.
Richard Bennaugh was tried and convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 27-year-old Domonique Scott Hayes, FOX5 reported.
More than 30 family members of Scott-Hayes showed up to the sentencing, saying that the news of Bennaugh's sentence finally gave them a chance to breathe and start the process of healing.
"Twin, we got justice for you. I love you so much wherever you are," sister Monique Scott-Hayes said. "My son mattered, and he was chased out like a dog and murdered. And the jury, and the judge and everybody saw right through it," Scott-Hayes mother said.
Prosecutors said that Bennaugh shot Scott-Hayes to death inside the townhome they shared. Initially, he claimed he shot his roommate in self-defense and told detectives he was sleeping on the couch when Scott-Hayes woke him up and repeatedly asked where the TV remote was.
Bennaugh claimed Scott-Hayes was holding two knives and tried to charge at him, so he opened fire, according to NBC4.
Court documents state that Bennaugh continued to shoot as his roommate tried to run away. Bennaugh told detectives he went back to sleep after the shooting.
He said that he got up later that day, drove to a marijuana dispensary in D.C. and to a tobacco shop in Landover.
When he finally got home, he said he smoked his marijuana and flushed the shell casings while contacting friends who urged him to call 911.
When police got to the townhouse, police found Scott-Hayes' body face down in his bedroom, one knife in each hand, and a third in his waistband. Investigators also found multiple fired bullets and a bottle of bleach.
"Today's sentence is about honoring the life of the victim and acknowledging the pain their family has endured," State's Attorney Tara H. Jackson said in a statement.
"While no sentence can erase the grief they feel, we hope this outcome brings them a measure of comfort. We are grateful to our prosecutors and law enforcement partners for their dedication to this case, and we remain committed to working tirelessly to bring justice to victims and their families by holding offenders of violent crime responsible."
It only took jurors a few hours to convict Bennaugh. In addition to second-degree murder, Bennaugh was also found guilty of tampering with evidence and for use of a handgun in the commission of a crime. He will spend the next 50 years in prison.
Richard Bennaugh was tried and convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 27-year-old Domonique Scott Hayes, FOX5 reported.
More than 30 family members of Scott-Hayes showed up to the sentencing, saying that the news of Bennaugh's sentence finally gave them a chance to breathe and start the process of healing.
"Twin, we got justice for you. I love you so much wherever you are," sister Monique Scott-Hayes said. "My son mattered, and he was chased out like a dog and murdered. And the jury, and the judge and everybody saw right through it," Scott-Hayes mother said.
Prosecutors said that Bennaugh shot Scott-Hayes to death inside the townhome they shared. Initially, he claimed he shot his roommate in self-defense and told detectives he was sleeping on the couch when Scott-Hayes woke him up and repeatedly asked where the TV remote was.
Bennaugh claimed Scott-Hayes was holding two knives and tried to charge at him, so he opened fire, according to NBC4.
Court documents state that Bennaugh continued to shoot as his roommate tried to run away. Bennaugh told detectives he went back to sleep after the shooting.
He said that he got up later that day, drove to a marijuana dispensary in D.C. and to a tobacco shop in Landover.
When he finally got home, he said he smoked his marijuana and flushed the shell casings while contacting friends who urged him to call 911.
When police got to the townhouse, police found Scott-Hayes' body face down in his bedroom, one knife in each hand, and a third in his waistband. Investigators also found multiple fired bullets and a bottle of bleach.
"Today's sentence is about honoring the life of the victim and acknowledging the pain their family has endured," State's Attorney Tara H. Jackson said in a statement.
"While no sentence can erase the grief they feel, we hope this outcome brings them a measure of comfort. We are grateful to our prosecutors and law enforcement partners for their dedication to this case, and we remain committed to working tirelessly to bring justice to victims and their families by holding offenders of violent crime responsible."
It only took jurors a few hours to convict Bennaugh. In addition to second-degree murder, Bennaugh was also found guilty of tampering with evidence and for use of a handgun in the commission of a crime. He will spend the next 50 years in prison.
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