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Last updated on Monday, August 18, 2014
(FLOYD CO.) - It’s a second death sentence for William Clyde Gibson.
The confessed serial killer swiveled in his chair Friday morning as a Floyd County judge read his fate.
"The sentence of death is the only appropriate sentence," the judge said.
"I've been waiting to hear that for two years," Tony Kirk, Stephanie Kirk's father said.
Kirk's family sat quietly for almost an hour as the judge read from more than 20 pages of a sentencing that included the details of Kirk's death back in March of 2012 and Gibson's actions that followed.
"The acts of this defendant were the worst of the worst," Keith Henderson, the prosecuting attorney, said. "Let's not forget he's a dangerous man who, given the opportunity would do this again."
Gibson showed no remorse in the courtroom, looking back at the Kirks once during sentencing. Moments after the death sentence came down, Gibson managed to smile, before heading back to jail.
"We can't make him sorry, but what we can do is hold him accountable and that's what we did," Henderson said.
"Now, it's over and he can't hurt nobody else," Delana Dean, Stephanie's only sister, said.
Dean was the only family member to address the court after sentencing.
"She'll never get to see her daughter grow up. She'll never see her get married," Dean read.
While Gibson's case now joins his other two murder cases for appeal at the Indiana Supreme Court, Kirk's father said he isn't worried.
"Maybe now I can clean out her room a bit. It doesn't bring her back but she's got justice," Kirk said.
An execution date is set for August of next year, but Henderson said that likely won't happen with the appeal. Even if Gibson does not want to fight the death sentence, the court is legally obligated to appeal.
Gibson will return Michigan City State Correctional Institution where he was taken after his first murder conviction.
Gibson was sentenced to death for the murder of Christine Whitis and received 65 year in prison for killing Karen Hodella.
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