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Logan McFarland sentenced to life in prison for murder of Utah couple during robbery

Posted at 6:48 PM, Jan 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-25 23:58:22-05

SANPETE COUNTY - After five years of waiting, justice was finally served in a Sanpete County Courtroom Wednesday. Logan McFarland pleaded guilty to two charges of aggravated murder and was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in a Utah prison.

"This begins the process of forgetting him and moving on as a family," said Mike Fullwood.

Fullwood is the son of Leroy and Dorothy Fullwood, who were killed during an aggravated home burglary in December of 2011. The prosecution alleges that McFarland robbed the Fullwood home on December 28th, then returned the next day with a gun.

At some point during the second robbery, they say he shot and killed the Fullwoods, who were home at the time, and then continued robbing the home. McFarland was eventually captured, along with his girlfriend, in Nevada after they shot a woman in the head while attempting to steal from her.

The prosecution believed they had enough evidence to pursue the death penalty, but years of ongoing litigation didn't appeal to the Fullwood family. Both the prosecution and the defense reached a plea deal that would send McFarland to prison for life instead.

"There's people who give, like my parents," said Mike Fullwood, while standing and addressing the court. "And there's people who take, like Mr. McFarland. Today, he takes no more."

Before leaving the courtroom, the judge gave McFarland the opportunity to address the victims' family or to make a statement. However, McFarland deferred to his attorney.

"He did specifically say he's been thinking quite a bit about what he can say once this day came, and he ran through various statements in his mind," said Ryan Stout, an attorney for the defense. "But he didn't feel like he could say anything to the victims' family without it sounding like it was ringing on hollow words."

That didn't sit well with Fullwood.

"I think the fact that he refused to acknowledge us, or provide a statement, speaks to his character and also speaks to the actions he did," said Mike Fullwood, while leaving the courtroom. "He's not going to occupy my mind, my conversations, and he's not going to take anything from this family ever again."