Indiana man gets 67 years for brutal killing of great aunt

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) - A south-central Indiana man has been sentenced to 67 years in prison for the brutal 2020 slaying of his great aunt, who authorities said had bailed him out of jail a day before her death.

Bartholomew Superior Court Judge James Worton sentenced Bobby N. Truitt II, 20, on Tuesday, saying he refused to accept Truitt's rough childhood as a mitigating factor in his sentence for killing 64-year-old Sharon Lovins, The (Columbus) Republic reported.

'œShe was beaten to death with a hammer by someone whom she loved and cared for,'ť Worton said. 'œWe'll probably never know why.'ť

Truitt pleaded guilty in March to one count of murder and one count of abuse of a corpse in Lovins' slaying. Worton sentenced Truitt to the maximum 65 years for murder and two additional years for abuse.

According to court documents, Truitt killed Lovins in her home on Sept. 27, 2020, one day after she had bailed him out of the Johnson County Jail, where he was being held on sexual battery charges. She also offered to let him stay with her at her home in Waynesville, a small Bartholomew County community about 45 miles (70 kilometers) south of Indianapolis.

After killing his aunt, Truitt stole her sport utility vehicle and drove to Indianapolis, where he reportedly inquired about buying a bus ticket to New York. He was arrested while panhandling with a group of homeless people in Indianapolis.

Bartholomew County Deputy Prosecutor Greg Long called Truitt 'œthe poster child of someone who ought to be locked up for a very long time.'ť