SELLERSBURG, Ind. — A Sellersburg man was given a century-long sentence for killing his wife, Elizabeth Bennett, while two children were in the home.
On Thursday, a judge sentenced Mac Lewis to 100 years in prison after he shot and killed Elizabeth in their home on April 1, 2022.
Lewis was found guilty of murder, attempted murder and three counts of criminal recklessness, last month.
The Bennett family was present during both his sentencing and trial and provided emotional testimonies to the judge and jury.
"After 18 months of absolute hell, this is the first day of justice for our beautiful daughter, their mom, our two grandchildren and Emery who endured this tragedy," Elizabeth's father, Tony Bennett said after the verdict.
Before the sentence was given, family members were given the opportunity to make impact statements. Both Tinsley and McKenna stood up to address Mac face-to-face.
Elizabeth's daughter, Tinsley, was 11 years old when she witnessed the shooting and called 911 for help. Authorities have also said her friend, who was 10 years old at the time, was at the house too. Police officials said they could hear gunshots in the background during the call.
The now 13-year-old Tinsley read from a piece of paper starting with a reference to violence across the globe and said she lays awake at night wondering "who could do terrible things to people." She said that night in 2022 wasn't a war zone, "but it felt that way to me," she said.
"Please consider that he took my mom, my mom was our world," she said. "I'll never be the same. He should be punished for what he did to my mom... Please send him far away. Far away as you can. Never let him out of prison."
Her big sister, 15-year old McKenna also spoke about her mother, the missed moments and memories. She said Elizabeth having her at 18 made them close, she considered her mother her best friend.
She also spoke directly to Lewis. "I hope the rest of your life is as miserable as you have made ours."
Patricia Belviy, Lewis's aunt followed the Bennett family's impact statements. Tears already forming in her eyes.
"I want you guys to know that when I say I love Lizzie, and that I'll miss her and her beautiful bright smile. And the affection she always showed me. This is a true statement from my heart," she said. "I don't condone Mac killing Lizzie. And I'm very, very sad and heartbroken. But I still support Mac because that's what real love and family do. And you love unconditionally."
During the trial, Lewis' defense argued he didn't intentionally fire the gun at Elizabeth and her daughter and was instead holding the gun up to his own head when Elizabeth tried to stop him.
After struggling, Attorney Mitch Harlan said the gun accidentally went off in her direction, then Lewis shot two more rounds inside the house out of anger.
Since then, Harlan has said Lewis has expressed remorse, stating Lewis has said things like "it should have been me."
"I watched that statement that the perpetrator gave on April 1. And of all the lies and kind of twisted statements he made that night he got one thing right. It should have been him." Bennett said during his impact statement.
Lewis also took the stand to speak on his own behalf, starting with an apology to Tinsley and McKenna.
"I really didn't mean for my actions," he said as his voice broke. "Everybody thinks I'm a monster. But I'm not. It was an accident. I'm not a monster... I know it was an accident. I loved Lizzie to death."
Rumbles from the gallery were quickly shushed by deputies in the room. Lewis responded to them, "You might say I killed her, yes I did. But it was an honest mistake..."
"When I took Lizzie's life, I took my soul."
The Bennett family's attorney, Jeremy Mull argued, argued that Lewis tried to make this trial about Elizabeth causing her own death by wrestling over the gun. Mull said he asked the jury to "firmly and soundly reject" the notion that she caused her own death, and he said they did.
The jury returned a "guilty" verdict and just three weeks later a judge sentenced Lewis to a century of jail-time.
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