USA - California. Judge Thomas Goethals sentenced Iftekhar Murtaza to death

Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals sentenced Iftekhar Murtaza to death. A jury made a death recommendation on December 16, 2013 (see).
Murtaza, 30, native of Bangladesh, was convicted of the May 21, 2007 killing of his ex-girlfriend's father, Jayprakash Dhanak, 56, and sister, Karishma Dhanak, 20, and then setting their mansion on fire. Their burned bodies were later found in a secluded area. Leela Dhanak, the ex-girlfriend's mother, was found critically wounded on a neighbor's lawn. Leela Dhanak was in a coma for weeks, but survived the attack and testified during the murder trial. Her daughter, Shayona Dhanak, 18, who was the only family member not at home during the attack, testified about her breakup with Murtaza. The revenge killings, authorities said, were driven by Murtaza's attempt to win back his former girlfriend, Shayona, who testified that she decided to break up with him because he was overly possessive. She said to make the breakup easier, she told him it was because her parents were devout Hindus and he was Muslim. 2 of Murtaza's friends also were convicted in the killings. Vitaliy Krasnoperov, 30, was sentenced to life in prison, and Charles Murphy Jr., 30, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.