A Virginia teen will spend the rest of his life in prison for attacking a Loudoun County couple and killing one of them.
Jaime Ayala was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison plus 40 years for the 2009 attack. That was the maximum sentence.
The 19-year-old Ayala pleaded guilty earlier this year to second-degree murder in the beating death of William Bennett. The 57-year-old man and his wife were assaulted as they went for a walk in their Lansdowne neighborhood. Cynthia Bennett was nearly killed in the attack. Investigators say they were picked at random and robbery was likely the motive.
The judge in the case described the attack as “heinous, reprehensible, evil, inexcusable, unjustifiable, detestable, disgusting.”
Ayala apologized to the Bennett’s family.
“There is no justification in my actions,” he said. “All of this is on me. I hate the fact that I was involved in something so horrible.”
Prosecutors believe two of Ayala’s friends were also involved the attack. Police later arrested Darwin Bowman and Anthony Roberts.
