A Lincoln Heights man who admitted to the brutal killings of his girlfriend, her daughter and a neighbor was sentenced to death Friday by a three-judge panel.

Ernie MCowen, police chief of Lincoln Heights, comforts Anthony Barner of College Hill, father of Shenay Hayes, 12, who was murdered with her mother and a Lincoln Heights neighbor. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        In their written decision, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judges Patrick Dinkelacker, Ann Marie Tracey, and Dennis Helmick said death for Stanley Fitzpatrick is appropriate.

        “In this particular case, the evidence warrants it, the law requires it and justice demands it,” they wrote.

        The judges set an execution date of June 7. That date will most likely be delayed because of automatic appeals that could take at least 10 years to complete.

        Mr. Fitzpatrick, 34, pleaded guilty to the murders of Shenay Hayes, 12, Doreatha Hayes, 41, and neighbor Elton “Arybie” Rose, 64. Their mutilated bodies were discovered last year inside a Chicago Avenue house in Lincoln Heights.

        Mr. Fitzpatrick, who had lived in the home with Ms. Hayes and her daughter, killed the mother and daughter June 7 after a sustained crack cocaine binge.

        Carol Murden, Ms. Hayes' sister, fought back tears as she stood outside the courtroom following the judges' decision. She said God's will controls everything.

        Anthony Barner, father of Shenay Hayes, was overcome by emotion immediately after the decision.

        Swallowing hard, he got out three words: “It is done.”

        Moments later, after regaining his composure, he said he was happy with the judges' decision.

Stanley Fitzpatrick is escorted into court Friday before a three-judge panel sentenced him to death.

        “What would you expect if it was your daughter?” he asked. “(Mr. Fitzpatrick) deserved what he got. (The victims) were all good people.”

        The Rev. H.L. Harvey, the brother of Mr. Rose and pastor of New Friendship Baptist Church in Avondale, said he does not believe in the death penalty.

        “This was not wanted ... But you have to go by the law of the land.”

        According to court testimony, the 34-year-old former Formica Corp. employee was suspended from his job June 5. He then spent the next two days smoking crack cocaine and marijuana, ingesting Valium, and drinking. On the evening of June 9, two days after the first two murders, Mr. Fitzpatrick went across the street to Mr. Rose's house and told him Doreatha Hayes wanted to talk with him.

        Once inside the Hayes house, Mr. Fitzpatrick beat Mr. Rose repeatedly about the head with the blunt edge of a hatchet.

        Mr. Fitzpatrick also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Lincoln Heights Police Sgt. DeAngelo Sumler, two counts of aggravated robbery for stealing the sergeant's police cruiser and carjacking a woman, and one count of aggravated robbery for breaking into a woman's house.

        He was sentenced to 12 years concurrently for those crimes.
       

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