Darrell Bellard Sentenced for Murder of 2 Children, 2 Women

A man convicted of killing four people, including two young children, will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Darrell Bellard, 47, was sentenced Friday to multiple life sentences plus 80 years, according to the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office.

In April, Bellard of Dickinson, Texas, was found guilty in the deaths of Dawn Brooks; her children, 3-year-old Shayla Sikyala and 4-year-old Shakur Sylves; and their aunt, Mwasiti Sikyala.

The family was found dead inside a trash-filled apartment above a garage in Riverdale, Maryland, in 2010.

Bellard's girlfriend, T'Keisha Gilmer, had previously pleaded guilty in the case and, in exchange for a lighter sentence, testified as the prosecution’s star witness, saying Bellard brought 60 pounds of marijuana from Texas to sell in the D.C. area.

When the pot disappeared from Brooks' home, Sikyala told Bellard three masked men ransacked the house and took the marijuana while Bellard was out with Gilmer, Brooks and the children.

Believing Sikyala and Brooks were involved, Bellard interrogated them. When they couldn't tell him where the marijuana was, Bellard executed them. Gilmer testified she blocked the door as Bellard shot and killed Brooks and her children.

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