Monday afternoon E. Nelson Chipman, Jr. the Prosecuting Attorney for Marshall County released the Indiana Court of Appeals decision on the Maeson Lee Coffin case.
Coffin appealed his sentencing claiming the trial court judge, Judge Robert Bowen abused its discretion in imposing consecutive sentences. He also asserted that his sentence was inappropriate in light of the nature of his offenses and his character.
Coffin pled guilty to a level 4 felony for burglary, a level 6 felony for auto theft, and an additional level 6 felony for theft. Judge Bowen sentenced him to a fifteen-year.
This case is related to the murder case of then 79 year old Richard “Paul” Costello in October 2016. In 2016, Coffin was renting a small residence from Costello. In October 2016, Coffin allowed Gauvin Monaghan to reside with him at his rental house. One evening in late October, Monaghan drove Coffin to Costello’s residence, where Costello’s brutally beaten and lifeless body lay on the ground. Monaghan and Coffin stole Costello’s cell phone and other items from his person. Monaghan got Coffin to assist in moving Costello’s body and attempted to hid it. The two entered Costello’s home and garage and stole several items, including power tools and a large TV.
The pair then broke into Costello’s home and stole items and his car and then fled the state.
The Indiana State of Appeals affirmed the sentencing of Judge Bowen.
Chipman said on Monday, “Today the Court of Appeals affirmed Maeson Coffin’s 15 year sentence for assisting in the aftermath of Paul Costello’s murder. Although Coffin was not responsible for the initial heinous act, he assisted after the fact in concealing Paul’s body and burglarizing his home and stealing his car for their flight to New York. And today is the final chapter in the tragedy of taking a decent man’s life too early. It should have never happened, but since it did a semblance of justice is being exacted. Judge Bowen did the right thing in imposing consecutive sentences, and the Court of Appeals did well in leaving the sentence intact.”
