Ushrenko family killer sentenced to life in prison
Judge says Damian Kerlik, convicted of murdering six members of same family after being fired from restaurant, 'lost any semblance of humanity'
The Petah Tikva District Court on Tuesday sentenced Damian Kerlik to six consecutive life sentences for the murder of six members of the Ushrenko family two years ago. He was also sentenced to 10 additional years for other charges.
In addition, Kerlik was ordered to pay the remaining family members NIS 458,000 ($121,000) in compensation.
"The accused brutally murdered six souls – three generations. He was unfazed by the site of a screaming grandmother and a weeping baby," Judge Avraham Tal said.
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"He operated calmly and with premeditation. These actions were carefully planned," the judge said while mentioning that Kerlik also set the Ushrenko family apartment on fire in hopes that investigators would not be able to identify the victims.
According to Judge Tal, Kerlik "lost any semblance of humanity."
Attorney Uri Keinan, who represented Kerlik on behalf of the Public Defender's Office, told Ynet a decision on whether to appeal the verdict would be reached next month. "My client believes the verdict is unjust," said the defense attorney.
Prosecutor Oded Keller said the verdict "cannot console the victims' relatives, although it does mean that Kerlik will remain in prison for the rest of his life."
Throughout the trial, Kerlik, who initially admitted to being a "nasty murderer," had insisted that he was innocent. "I was in the apartment, but I did not kill anyone. I understand that the justice system is not perfect," he said during the proceedings while claiming that the murders were committed by a man named "Vlad."
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 Rishon Lezion apartment on fire. The horror was revealed the following morning.
Police believe that Damian's motive was his dismissal from the family's Premier restaurant, after he was caught by Edward Ushrenko stealing vodka cases.
Kerlik's wife Natalia, who helped him commit the murder, 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.
Natalia's sister Maria (Masha) Ilnich was convicted of failing to prevent a crime and disrupting legal proceedings. She was sentenced to 17 days in prison and also handed a nine-month suspended sentence.
Another relative, a minor who was aware Kerlik broke into the Ushrenko family apartment, was sentenced to community service. She was not aware of the murders themselves, according to investigators.
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