Life No Parole for Terrell Nowlin

There’s relief Monday for the family of Tyler Hardin as Terrell Nowlin is sentenced for Hardin’s 2010 murder.

"Thank Jesus." rang out in the courtroom from Tyler Hardin’s mother, Kim Saunders, when she heard Nowlin sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

While Nowlin didn’t make a statement in court his lawyer, Kirk McVay asked the judge to merge all counts and sentence his client to twenty to life or twenty eight years to life. McVay stated that Nowlin’s intellectual deficits kept him from fully understanding the crime. Judge Fleegle didn’t agree.

"You operate with an intelligence and an ability well above most the other people sitting in prison," said Judge Fleegle.

The judge also read a letter written to the court from Saunders.

"What exactly did you accomplish," said the letter. "The only thing you did was destroy my life. You killed my joy and half of my purpose for living."

Saunders commented that the case has been trying for her family and was pleased with the sentence.

"A lot of prayers went up for this sentence," said a tearful Saunders. "Not only did the justice system work, my God worked for me. i believed He would and He did."

Nowlin was also sentenced to pay the family of Hardin over $7,000 in restitution. Defense Attorney Kirk McVay said they plan to appeal.

Nowlin’s co-defendant and wife, Heather, plead guilty in connection with the murder last year and was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to aggravated murder, kidnapping and tampering with evidence.