A man in Texas, United States, has been sentenced to 60 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the murder of his girlfriend by stabbing her 27 times, according to a report in Fox News. The 35-year-old man killed his 47-year-old partner on August 17, 2020.
Dantravias Jamal McNeil and Katy Houck were dating when they checked into a hotel in Baytown almost three years ago. A couple of hours later, the police department of Baytown said that there were reports of a disturbance. They arrived at the hotel and found Mr McNeil "who was reportedly hysterical". They also found a knife at the scene and Ms Houk in a puddle of blood inside the room. Ms Houk was transported to a hospital where she was declared dead.
According to the outlet, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg stated that the woman was stabbed at least 27 times, including twice in the heart and Mr McNeil was arrested on the spot. "Domestic violence, like in this case, is insidious because it escalates and can intensify with almost no warning, and that is why we take all cases of domestic violence so seriously," the District Attorney said.
He added, "Our hearts go out to the family who lost a loving mother, a woman who was still a caretaker for one of her children, in an absolutely senseless act of violence."
According to Fox News, even though Mr McNeil admitted to the murder, he maintained that he acted in self-defence and asked the judge to give him the shortest possible prison term.
According to Additional District Attorney Kimberly Garcia, who co-prosecuted the case, Mr McNeil had a lengthy criminal history, including three past convictions for domestic abuse. She added that in all three instances, he identified as the victim. "Even though he pleaded guilty, he still didn't take responsibility for what he did, so we are glad he was sentenced to what amounts to a life sentence," she said.
