Demetrius Roberson, the man convicted in the 2016 murder of Lexus Bell, was formally sentenced to life in prison in Logan Circuit Court Thursday.
According to a news release, after hearing arguments from attorneys and impact statements from the victim’s family, Circuit Judge Joe Hendricks upheld the jury’s recommended sentence and sentenced Roberson to life in prison, without the possibility of parole until he has served 25 years. Roberson was convicted of murder, attempted murder, first-degree robbery and nine counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.
As previously reported, Roberson entered the residence in the Robinwood Apartments in Russellville with the intention of stealing money, marijuana, and firearms that he believed were being hidden inside by one of the residents.
Roberson then fired 11 shots inside the small apartment that was occupied by two women, Lexus Bell and Estoria Mordica, and nine children. One of those shots killed Lexus Bell while she was holding her son, in the first hour of his first birthday. Some of those shots traveled into an adjacent apartment.