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78-year-old man sentenced to life in prison for 2 Northeast Ohio cold case murders from the 1970s

Gustave Sapharas was found guilty of murdering Karen Bentz in 1970 and Loretta Jean Davis in 1975.

AKRON, Ohio — A Jackson Township man, who has been found guilty in connection with two decades-old cold case murders in Northeast Ohio, learned his fate on Wednesday morning.

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78-year-old Gustave Sapharas was sentenced by Judge Allison Breaux to 15 years to life in prison for the murder of Karen Bentz. He was also sentenced to life in prison without parole for the aggravated murder of Loretta Jean Davis. 

On March 17, The Summit County Prosecutor's Office announced that a jury found Sapharas guilty of the murder of Bentz in 1970 and Davis in 1975.

Breaux noted that both of the sentences will be run consecutively.

“When we consider consecutive sentencing, we consider the harm that has been caused. There is no greater harm in this lifetime than taking the lives of those two women with no regard to who they were. They were daughters, sisters, mothers, friends and aunts. To viciously attack them, and murder them in such a heinous way, and then to dump their bodies, consecutive sentencing is by far more appropriate than a concurrent sentence at this time,” said Breaux. 

The charges were based on what Ohio law would have been when the crimes were committed in the 1970s.

3News streamed the full sentencing, which can be watched below: 

During the sentencing, Karen Bentz's sister appeared virtually to give a statement. 

“It has been 53 years this month since this monster stabbed her to death and left her outside like garbage,” said Sandra Utterback. “I wish my parents and siblings were still living to witness this. Although I am glad he finally has to pay for this, it will never bring my sister back. His actions impacted my whole family.

"To you, Gustave Sapharas, you destroyed my family when you killed my sister, and you will finally be held accountable for your actions. I can never get my sister back no matter what sentence you receive, but at least you won’t be able to destroy any more families. God forgive me, but I hope you burn in hell.” 

Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh released the following statement:

"For 50 years, the horrible murders of Loretta Jean Davis and Karen Bentz remained unsolved, until now. For 50 years, Gustave Sapharas evaded prosecution and responsibility, until now. For 50 years, the families of Loretta Daivs and Karen Bentz were without hope that the killer would ever be found, until now. Thank you for the tenacious work of the investigators, prosecutors, and victim advocates who fought for justice for Loretta and Karen and their families."

Below is more information on the cases: 

Karen Bentz

Bentz was last seen alive on Tuesday, April 28, 1970, in Akron. A day later, on April 29, the 18-year-old's body was found on the side of Indian Hills Drive in Tallmadge. Bentz was stabbed multiple times and strangled. 

Lorretta Jean Davis 

Sunday, Sept. 28, 1975, was the last time Davis was seen in Tallmadge. Later that day, the 20-year-old's body was found stabbed on the side of Congress Lake Road in Portage County.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on Sept. 10, 2019.

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