LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A Louisville man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to killing his stepmother and half-sister, then sexually abusing their bodies.Martin Hughes, 21, was arrested in February 2008 after police discovered the bodies of Laura Hughes and her 12-year-old daughter, Tessa.
Hughes pleaded guilty to two counts of murder, two counts of abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence.
Hughes admitted to shooting his stepmother, Laura, and his 12-year-old half-sister, Tessa, while the slept in the family’s home.
“You don't get over it. You learn to live with it. It's day-by-day,” said Laura Hughes’ sister, Susan Stigall.
Hughes said he then sexually abused their dead bodies and flushed the shell casings to hide evidence of his crimes.
“It's been really hard. You know, that's my younger sister. I always looked over her, made sure she's all right. It's really hard,” said Stigall.
Hughes waived formal sentencing proceedings. In accordance with the plea agreement, Judge Stephen P. Ryan sentenced Hughes to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“Found that you waived pre-sentence investigation, I sentence you to life without possibility of parole. Good luck to you, sir,” said Ryan.
Stigall said she's pleased with the plea agreement.
“It went our way. Justice was done and he'll have many years to think about it,” she said.
“Nothing's going to ever give me closure but, you know, I think everything's been put in its place,” said Sam Embry, Tessa Hughes’ brother.
As Martin Hughes left the courtroom, he told his mom he loved her and blew his family a kiss.
Hughes decided to accept the plea agreement after consulting with his attorneys about the evidence against him in this case.
By accepting the agreement, he waived his rights to a jury trial or any appeals in the future.
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