Man Murders 5 Family Members in Inheritance Plot

According to the Associated Press, Iowan Shawn Bentler, 23 and unemployed, was found guilty on Thursday May 24, 2007, of killing his parents and three of his younger teenage sisters in order execute a plot to get an inheritance from his family.

The Associated Press announced that his guilty verdict was read to a court room full of over 100 family members. Some of them were sobbing while others breathed a sigh of relief, according to the AP.

Bentler never pleaded guilty. According to a statement issued by his lawyers, Bentler said "I continue to assert my innocence and I believe that the circumstantial evidence against me was very weak."

Prosecutors used evidence to prove that Michael and Sandra Bentler and their three daughters, Sheena, 17, Shelby, 15, and Shayne, 14 were murdered by being shot to death with a .22 caliber rifle. The murders took place on October 14, 2006 in their southeastern Iowa home. The Associated Press said that there was actually a 911 call from the house before the murders took place. In fact, the 911 call was a huge part of prosecuting evidence.

The 911 call was very gut-wretching for the family members in the court room to hear. It starts with Sandra screaming in the background. Shayne was then heard saying that her brother was "going to do something." Then a sound of one gunshot followed by a "Shawn, no!" After the last scream, the line went dead.

The Associated Press found out that Defense lawyers of Bentler used the argument that he got along very well with his family and the time frame with traveling between Bonaparte, IA and Quincy, IL didn't make sense.

Shawn Bentler continuously denied he murdered his family, saying that he loved his family and respected his father his whole life. However, the jury and the judge did not buy a word of it and found him guilty.

On June 19, 2007, Bentler will find out what his punishment will be. The Associated Press reported that he will most likely serve 5 life sentences back to back.

The Bentler family did in fact have a large amount of money from the family's very successful grain storage elevator and Michael's lumberyard businesses all over Iowa.