Muncie man draws 84-year sentence for girlfriend's murder

A Muncie man, David Earl Bond Jr., was sentenced to 84 years in prison on Monday after being convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Ashley Marie Bennett, in August 2020. A Delaware Circuit Court 3 jury found Bond guilty of the crime on February 23. Forensic evidence revealed that Bennett, 36, was brutally strangled in her apartment.

During the sentencing, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Zach Craig described the murder as particularly disturbing, citing the brutality and Bond's complete disregard for human life. He also revealed that Bond attempted to stage the crime scene to appear as though Bennett had died from a drug overdose. Additionally, Craig highlighted Bond's extensive criminal history, which includes 12 felony and 11 misdemeanor convictions, indicating a pattern of targeting women.

Bennett's family members, including her 17-year-old daughter, passionately urged the judge to impose a life sentence on Bond. Her daughter, Aralyn Cooper, expressed her profound loss, stating, "I've been waiting for this since I was 12 years old. I have to spend the rest of my life without my mother." The victim's stepfather voiced regret over not recognizing the dangers Bond posed to Bennett.

Bond, 45, did not speak during the hearing but indicated intentions to appeal his convictions. His defense attorney, Kathie Perry, maintained that he was innocent and mentioned Bond's past as a former Golden Gloves boxer, citing the head injuries he sustained throughout his boxing career.

Judge Doug Mawhorr characterized Bond's actions as "disturbing and heinous," imposing a 60-year sentence for murder, along with an additional 20 years for Bond’s habitual offender status. He also tacked on four more years for other charges related to Bond's arrest days after the homicide. In total, Bond will serve 84 years in prison, with credit for time already served in jail.