WARREN Man receives two life terms for murders

Family members of the murder victims asked the judge to give the defendant the maximum sentence.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County prosecutors say they are pleased that a 19-year-old Newton Falls man, convicted last week of killing two people, will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Charles Morrow and Diane Barber, assistant county prosecutors, said moments after Ronald Shaffer was sentenced Tuesday to two life terms in prison that they wanted to make sure he would not be back on the streets.
"With this sentence we are very much assured that he won't be back in society and he won't be able to do this again," Morrow said.
Charges: Shaffer was convicted of two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count each of attempted aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary.
Police said that on June 23 Shaffer shot and killed Garry D. Bell, 40, of 3066 state Route 5, Leavittsburg, and Charles Mathey III, 40, of Milton Boulevard, Newton Falls, and tried to kill David Harper, 38, of Prospect Street, Newton Township, who survived the shooting.
Shaffer could have faced the death penalty, but Friday the same jury that found Shaffer guilty decided to recommend life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Judge John Stuard of common pleas court agreed with the jury's recommendation and sentenced Shaffer to the two life sentences.
The judge also ordered that Shaffer serve nine years for the attempted murder and three years for using a gun to commit the crimes. The judge said the 12 years will be served consecutive to the life sentences.
"You have to live with what you did for the rest of your life," Judge Stuard said to Shaffer, who declined to comment.
Victims' families: Relatives of Bell's and Mathey's asked the judge before sentencing to give Shaffer the maximum sentence.
Jennifer Mathey, Mathey's daughter, said Shaffer "destroyed our lives."
"Every day I still think that he [Mathey] will come walking through the door," she said. "I will never forgive [Shaffer]."
Shirla Pullin, Bell's sister, said her brother, who had moved to the area from Louisiana in 1993, was a kind person who "never hurt anyone."
"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Pullin said. "Nothing can justify what happened to him."