Erbil court sentences family killer to death

ERBIL, Iraq — A criminal court in Erbil has sentenced a man to death for killing a three-member family and stealing their belongings, with the verdict delivered at the defendant's first hearing. According to case attorney Karvan Surci, the defendant entered the family's home armed with a gun in January, stabbed a husband, wife and their son, then fled with cash, valuables and the victims' car. The lawyer said the defendant attempted to destroy evidence and dispose of the murder weapon and the victims' official documents before being apprehended by Erbil security forces several days later and handed over to investigators. Forensic reports, scene examination and the clarity of the evidence were cited as the basis for the conviction, along with the defendant's own admission of guilt. The Erbil Felony Court handed down the death sentence for murder and theft. Surci said the case file has been transferred to the Court of Appeal for the required legal ratification. No further details were immediately available on whether the appeal process has begun.