Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA Fort Wayne man who pleaded guilty to four counts of murder in the deaths of four people, including his unborn child, was sentenced to 300 years in prison.
Marcus Dansby, 23, pleaded guilty but mentally ill in May to four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and a sentencing enhancement for using a gun to commit the crimes. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty but agreed not to pursue it in exchange for the plea, the Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne reported.
Allen Superior Judge Fran Gull sentenced Dansby to 61 years each for the murders of Consuela Arrington, 37, Traeven Harris, 18, Dajahiona Arrington, 18, and her 37-week-old fetus. A fourth person, 14-year-old Trinity Hairston, was shot and stabbed but survived. Dansby’s sentence also included 20 years as a firearms enhancement and 36 years for the attack on Trinity.
Defense attorney Michelle Kraus pushed for a shorter sentence, arguing Dansby — who yawned while his lawyer spoke — took responsibility for the crimes and was only 20 years old when they were committed. He also did not have a prior criminal record, she said.
“I would venture to say, Mr. Dansby, that three-fourths of this room had difficult childhoods, and none of them are mass murderers like you are,” Gull said.
Asked if he wanted to say anything, Dansby thanked his family — many of whom were in the courtroom — for being with him, but said he “couldn’t care less” about the victims.
Dansby pleaded guilty to the fatal September 2016 shootings and stabbings of 18-year-old Traeven Harris, 37-year-old Consuela Arrington, 18-year-old Dajahiona Arrington and the near-term fetus that the younger Arrington was carrying.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.