The Petah Tikva District Court convicted Damian Kerlik in the murder of six members of the Ushrenko family on Monday. The State Prosecutor's Office said earlier that if convicted, the State will motion to sentence Kerlik to six consecutive life sentences, in addition to punishment for other offences including robbery, arson and theft.
Judge Avraham Tal rejected claims by the defense that another person murdered the Ushrenkos and dragged Kerlik into the family's Rishon Lezion apartment two years ago.
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"The defendant's explanation is not probable," Judge Tal said. "We were not presented with one piece of evidence supporting his claim of working on behalf of someone else."
Ushrenko family. Massacred in their own house (Reproduction photo: Avi Moalem)
- Prosecutor Attorney Oded Keller said: "This case is exceptionally severe. There are no words to describe the depth of horror and cruelty."
According to the indictment, on the night of October 16, 2009 Kerlik stabbed to death Dmitri and Tatiana Ushrenko, their three-year-old daughter Revital and four-month-old son Netanel, as well as Dmitri's parents Edward and Ludmila. He then set their apartment on fire. The horror was revealed the following morning.
Damian Kerlik in court (Photo: Dana Kopel)
Kerlik's wife Natalia was charged with manslaughter, destruction of evidence, conspiring to commit a crime and robbery.
She confessed to the crime and was convicted as part of a plea bargain. A court sentenced her to 13 years in prison. On Tuesday, a verdict in the case of Kerlik's father and another family member who both confessed to being accomplices will be given.
Roi Mandel contributed to this report