Nearly 12 years after beating a teenage couple to death with a machete, Gary Dwayne Skaggs was sentenced Friday to two consecutive life sentences.
Skaggs, 45, will have to serve at least 50 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole.
Pima County Superior Court Judge John Leonardo pronounced sentence in a courtroom packed with relatives of Skaggs' victims, Antonio Rodriguez and Danielle Wessels, and Skaggs' supporters, who continue to maintain his innocence.
Skaggs beat Rodriguez and Wessels to death in August 1995 after learning that Rodriguez had a short-term affair with Skaggs' girlfriend, Jerrie Lane, while Skaggs was in jail, said Deputy Pima County Attorney William McCollum.
Rodriguez and Wessels, both 18, were beaten to death in their living room. Their 6-month-old daughter was found unharmed in the apartment, in the 2100 block of North Columbus Boulevard, south of East Grant Road.
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Skaggs wasn't arrested until May 2006. He testified that he was sleeping at a friend's house at the time of the slayings.
Various witnesses testified at trial that Skaggs threatened to kill Rodriguez prior to the slaying or confessed after the fact.
Maureen Rosales, Rod-riguez's mother, lambasted Skaggs for "robbing" her granddaughter of the chance ever to know her parents.
"I hope every time you see your daughter you remember the little girl standing there in the shadows" and what he did to her parents, Rosales said.
Rosales told Skaggs he appointed himself judge and executioner and "hell is waiting for you, Gary."
Wessels' mother, Susan Wessels, expressed gratitude to the jury for convicting Skaggs. She also told Skaggs she has prayed for him and has forgiven him.
"My wish for you is for you to never see your children, but I know in my heart that that's not right," Susan Wessels said.
When given the chance to talk, Skaggs told the family he is sorry for their loss, but insisted he is innocent.
Defense attorney Michael Lange had asked for two concurrent life sentences with the possibility of parole. He noted that Skaggs' criminal history dates back more than 20 years and that he has a substantial work history and tremendous family support.
Skaggs is in an awkward position, Lange said, because judges like to hear remorse at sentencing hearings.
"Gary can't express remorse for a crime he maintains he didn't do, but he is sad because these were friends of his," Lange said.
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