Wisconsin Man to be Imprisoned for Life for Killing Girlfriend's Parents Over Social Distancing

A 21-year-old Wisconsin man will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing the parents of his girlfriend because of arguments over social distancing.

In May 2022, a jury convicted Khari Sanford of first-degree homicide for the deaths of Dr. Beth Potter and Robin Carre, the parents of Miriam, whom he was dating in 2020. Judge Ellen Berz of the Dane County Circuit sentenced him to life imprisonment in early September.

Sanford's public defenders asked the judge to allow him to petition for parole after 25 years but Berz said he will never have this chance because he will be a public risk. In his court address, the judge said that the convicted young man had no regard for human life no matter how much kindness or generosity was shown to him, per People. 

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What happened between Kyle Sanford and his girlfriend's parents?

Sanford and his girlfriend were living with Potter and Carre when the first wave of the COVID-10 pandemic broke. However, tensions escalated between the parents and the boyfriend because the latter was defiant about social distancing.

Sanford, then 18, also admitted that Potter and Carre took him in knowing he has mental issues and was a substance abuser. He said that Miriam's parents tried to be the adult for him when he was behaving like a typical rebellious teenager.

According to Madison.com, the parents decided to let their daughter and Sanford stay at an Airbnb until they can find their own place to finally be rid of the tension. The parents also offered to pay for the Airbnb fees.

But sometime later, Sanford and an accomplice, Ali'jah Larrue, 20, abducted the parents from their house. Their bodies were discovered within the University of Wisconsin Arboretum with bullets to the back of their heads. The police determined that the crime was motivated by greed.

Larrue was also convicted after pleading guilty to kidnapping and murder. The judge sentenced him to eight years in prison with 10 years of supervision.

Estate of her parents wants Miriam's inheritance cut off

Meanwhile, Miriam, who has since broken off with Sanford, issued a statement directed to the judge to never let Sanford free. The daughter said that she was also afraid of her ex-boyfriend because he was abusive and manipulative, and he used suicide as a threat.

But the estate of her parents filed a separate lawsuit seeking to exclude Miriam from receiving any inheritance. According to a family friend, Miriam was complicit in the killings of her parents even though she was not charged in court. The daughter was extended immunity to any prosecution because of her court testimony against Sanford, per WKOW.

Deputy District Attorney William Brown said in the trial that Miriam had no knowledge of Sanford's plans against her parents. However, the prosecutors said she became estranged from her parents when they were asked to transfer to an Airbnb and she also discussed her parents' "bands of money" with Sanford prior to the murders.

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