BRUNSWICK, GA – Guy Heinze Jr. of Brunswick, Ga was convicted of murder on Friday, October 25th, in the beating deaths of his father and seven other family members. Attorneys spared Heinze the death sentence to avoid a hung jury. The deal to withdraw from the death penalty means Heinze will serve a life sentence.

Prosecutors stated Heinze was high on crack cocaine the night of the murders. He is believed to have killed his first victim over a bottle of prescription painkillers. He then murdered the rest of his family so he could avoid being caught. Each victim died from blows to the head from what police believe to be a shotgun barrel. Autopsies showed the victims had a combined total of more than 220 wounds.

Source: Cherokee Tribune