"He talked so matter of factly, it was like he was making it up as he went along", Leah Rumbaugh's mother Billie Marshall said of Robert Hudson's testifying.
Leah Rumbaugh's mother speaks out for the first time, now that the Lubbock man who killed her daughter will spend life in prison. It took a Lubbock jury two hours to find Robert Hudson guilty of murder and less that an hour to sentence him to life in prison.
The tension in the court room was obvious as the family of Leah Rumbaugh awaited the verdict. Eventually 27-year-old Robert Hudson left the courtroom in handcuffs and shackles following a verdict that sentenced him to life in prison.
Hudson shot his 18-year-old girlfriend in the face on December 26th of 2003. Leah Rumbaugh was described as a happy free spirited girl. The trial lasted a little more than two days with almost 20 witnesses taking the stand, Robert Hudson himself took the stand on Wednesday.
In closing arguments, the State described Hudson as a monster that trapped a little girl, only to later shoot her in the face and watch her die. The Defense asked the jury to have mercy, and give Hudson a second chance. But the State said, Hudson's lies and the evidence police found, made the sentencing phase obvious for the jury.
"They already knew what kind of person he was and when they heard more about his convictions. They knew life was the only option for this man," said Assistant District Attorney Amy Cook.
"I'm glad justice was served. It doesn't bring my daughter back but at least he doesn't have a life now," said Billie Marshall, Leah Rumbaugh's mother.
Billie Marshall, Leah's mother will continue to raise Leah's daughter Casey who is now three, she says not a day goes by that they don't cry about Leah.
Hudson's prior convictions included multiple assaults, assaulting a police officer, and evading arrest. The jury gave Hudson the maximum sentence possible.
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