Court of Appeals Upholds Bright Shooter's Sentence

Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 7:28 AM

William Gajdik leaves the Dearborn Circuit Courtroom following his sentencing September 25, 2012.

file photo

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) – The conviction and sentence of William Gajdik has been upheld by the Indiana Court of Appeals.

In 2011, Gajdik burglarized homes in Dearborn County. From the first home, he stole a handgun and threatened the Bright homeowner with it. Later, he shot Robert Tibbits and stole his car during a second home invasion in Logan Township before fleeing the area. The escaped felon from Nebraska was tracked down about a month later at a Minnesota motel.

Last year, Gajdik was convicted in Dearborn County of Attempted Murder, Burglary and Robbery. Judge James D. Humphrey handed down a 148 year prison sentence, ordering the sentences of each conviction to be served consecutively along with a 30 year habitually offender enhancement.

Heading to the prison essentially for life, Gajdik quickly appealed his conviction and sentence. He argued three points: that the court abused its discretion in admitting evident of prior bad acts, that the trial court was wrong to impose consecutive sentences, and that the sentence was inappropriate in light of the nature of the offense and Gajdik’s character.

In a ruling issued Wednesday, the Indiana Court of Appeals unanimously upheld both the conviction and sentence. The judges’ opinion stated that Gajdik’s sentence was not inappropriate.

“The trial court found that the evidence of the escape from prison in Nebraska, the car thefts, the information on how to change one’s identity, the cash found in the motel room, as well as the discovery of (the first victim’s) gun found in the car Gajdik was driving at the time of his arrest, were all relevant to the matter at issue,” Appeals Judge Ezra H. Friedlander wrote in the opinion.

Friedlander said that the 148 year aggregate sentence was fitting considering all but one of Gajdik’s convictions were for crimes of violence.

“Additionally, Gajdik’s criminal history consists of twenty-five felony convictions and pending felony charges in Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska. Gajdik has failed to meet his burden of persuading us that his sentence is inappropriate.”

Tibbits, the shooting victim, was severely disabled by the gunshot. He died March 4, nearly two years after the shooting. Dearborn County Prosecutor Aaron Negangard said at the time that although Tibbits’ gunshot injuries may have contributed to his death, the charges against Gajdik could not be upgraded because the case had already been tried.

LINKS:

Victim Dies Two Years After Shooting

Gajdik Receives 148 Yrs. For Burglaries, Shooting

Gajdik Again Asks For Death, But Not Likely

Gajdik To Be Sentenced Monday

Jury Convicts Gajdik On All Counts

Gajdik Doesn't Testify At Trial

Bright Shooter’s Trial Could Last All Week

Trail Date For Attempted Murder Case Moved To August

Logan Twp. Shooter Requests Death Penalty

Benefit To Help Bright Shooting Victim

UPDATE: Bright Gunman Assigned $5M Bond