A man will serve four consecutive life sentences for beating and killing his girlfriend and three young kids with a hammer.
On Thursday, 36-year-old Terrance Leonard pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder. Those killed are Kristina Riley, 32, and three children aged 14, 10, and 9, in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. He also pleaded guilty to the attempted first-degree murder of another of Riley’s children. This is her daughter who was 12, back then.
In 2019, prosecutors planned to seek the death penalty. However, they decided not to in relation to the pleas.
The judge gave Leonard a 50-year sentence in prison in connection with the attempted murder. He also received four life terms and forty years for the obstruction offense.
Police say that Leonard confessed to pounding on and killing the children while they slept. He then waited for his girlfriend to arrive at the residence from work.
Leonard’s mother discovered Riley and the kids with wounds to their heads, a few hours later. She then called police.
When police arrived to the scene, they discovered Riley, her son, and her niece deceased inside of the apartment. Her daughter, 14, had passed away a couple of days later at a hospital.
Police say that prior to leaving the scene, Leonard attempted to wipe up the blood from the murders. He also placed the hammer that was used in the attacks in a trash can that was close by.
Later on, he went back with his mother who wasn’t aware that he committed the murders, authorities say.
When he was questioned, Leonard disclosed to police that he had been taking drugs when he killed the four people. A neighbor stated that she could hear the two having a disagreement when Riley got home. However, the neighbor didn’t contact authorities.
