Marshall Superior Court I Judge Robert Bowen sentenced 19 year old Gauvin Monaghan to 65 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections Tuesday morning.
On November 6th Gauvin Monaghan plead guilty to the November 2016 murder of 79 year old Paul Costello in exchange for the dismissal of conspiracy to commit murder, burglary, auto theft and a separate count of theft.
During the sentencing Gauvin Monaghan read a prepared statement from the witness stand to the family and friends of Paul Costello which were seated in the two back pews of the court room. He said, he was not the best at conveying his feeling and didn’t expect them to forgive him but he wanted to explain his true feelings.
He said, “I’m truly sorry for what I did. It was horrible and will haunt me for the rest of my life.” The teen went on to say. “Paul never did anything wrong to me.” Softly speaking he said, “I feel like a monster.” He also commented that he had a rough childhood and had gotten into drugs. Monaghan closed his statement by saying, “May Paul rest in peace.”
Marshall County Prosecutor Nelson Chipman asked one simple question of Monaghan…why? Was it for money? Revenge? Anger? Chipman said, “None of this makes since to me? The family could justify it if they knew why.”
Monaghan’s answer was, “I don’t remember.”
During arguments Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tami Napier asked Judge Bowen deviate from the advisory sentence of 55 year and asked him to execute a term of 65 years due to the aggravating factors. She said the autopsy report showed Paul Costello died from multiple blunt force traumas with multiple fractures to the head and skull along with blunt force trauma to his upper torso. She said the forensic pathologist had to identify Mr. Costello by using his cardiothorasic wire suture pattern because of the extensive trauma to his body.
Napier also commented the Mr. Costello had offered housing and shelter or an indigent, drifter…indicating Monaghan and said “He paid for that generosity with his life.”
Aggravating factors listed by Judge Bowen during the sentencing phase included Monaghan’s juvenile record, the Indiana Risk Assessment System which indicated a high risk that he would offend again and the acts committed by Monaghan including the brutality of the murder, binding Paul in chains, stripping him of his clothing, hiding his body and fleeing. Judge Bowen also noted while being incarcerated for 344 days to date, Monaghan has been written up in the jail 12 times and been involved in 2 altercations.
Looking at the Mitigating factors, Judge Bowen noted that Gauvin Monaghan did not have an adult or felony record, pled guilty to the crime of murder and appeared remorseful reading a statement to the family of Paul Costello.
Before a nearly packed court room, Judge Robert Bowen sentenced 19 year old Gauvin Monaghan to 65 years in prison and $1 court cost. With time for good behavior, Monaghan would still serve 48 and three-fourths years behind bars.
It was mentioned that there was no one in the courtroom for Monaghan.
