Killer of gay couple flips off victims’ families in court
Image: Image: ABC 10.
A US man found guilty of killing a gay couple in 2010 has shown no remorse during sentencing, flipping off the victims’ families.
Appearing in court on Thursday, Peter Avsenew was sentenced to death for the killings, Gay Star News has reported.
Avsenew was convicted of shooting and killing Steven Adams and Kevin Powell in their home before stealing money, belongings and a car.
His lawyers had argued that he did not kill the couple but only found them, choosing not to call emergency services because he was working for them as an escort, but the state found there was no evidence to support this.
Avsenew briefly addressed the jury at the sentencing.
“I have no regrets in my life and I am proud of the decisions I’ve made,” he said.
“No one really knows what happened that day. Everyone can speculate what ifs and maybes until they’re blue in the face, which they’ll never really know.”
The families of the murdered couple saw Avsenew make the flip-off gesture, which was captured on courtroom footage.
“In my heart of hearts, I knew that he was making that gesture to us, and then he admitted that he made the gesture to our family,” said Marci Craig, a sister of one of the victims.
“After what happened in that courtroom just now, I’m happy that he’s being put to the death penalty,” said Missy Badget, also a sister.
Had the jury not handed Avsenew the death penalty, he would have been sentenced to life in prison for the killings.
Smooth Sailing. I was horribly and publicly viliified by a work colleague when I worked for a NSW Government department in the late 80s. Yes, I’m now mid-fifty and feeling pretty comfortable about gay people are treated in workplaces nowadays. Then, I sought legal advice, had dialogues with the department’s head of Personnel and (after much pain) was offered a transfer. Some of my best friends in life I met as a result of this. Storm clouds can often have silver linings. I took my solicitor’s advice and negotiated the transfer. Though I could have sued. Happy now, I fought.