A 41-year-old man from Philadelphia has been sentenced to 7 life terms and an additional 297 years in prison for the murders of two individuals in Delaware. Additionally, he is facing accusations of killing four other individuals, including his own mother, in Pennsylvania.
According to a news release from the Delaware Department of Justice, Keith Gibson was responsible for the deaths of 28-year-old Leslie Ruiz-Basilion at a T-Mobile store in Wilmington in 2021, and 42-year-old Ronald Wright during a robbery on the same street a month later.
In addition to the murders of Ruiz and Wright, he was also found guilty of multiple charges related to robbery and weapons possession. He was also convicted of attempted murder for shooting a convenience store clerk in Wilmington and robbing a Rite Aid in the city at around the same time.
Gibson’s rampage started shortly after he was released from a Delaware prison in late 2020, as reported by the New York Daily News. He had just completed a nearly 13-year sentence for manslaughter and firearms charges related to a felony. Following his release, Gibson was placed on 18 months of probation.
Judge Ferris Wharton declared that Gibson should spend the rest of his life behind bars, stating that he was deserving of such a severe punishment.
The judge expressed a strong determination to do everything within their capacity to ensure that the desired outcome becomes a reality.
The jury reached a verdict in November, convicting the defendant of first-degree murder. As a result, the defendant was sentenced to multiple life sentences, as required by law.
“This is absolutely outrageous!” Gibson exclaimed as he was escorted out of the courtroom, passionately arguing with the judge that handing down multiple life sentences for each conviction was an unjust and unlawful punishment.
During the trial, the prosecution meticulously presented various pieces of evidence, which they referred to as “puzzle pieces,” to the jury. These puzzle pieces aimed to establish a connection between Gibson and the crimes committed. Additionally, the prosecution linked Gibson to the murder of a woman who was employed at a Dunkin’ Donuts in North Philadelphia during a similar timeframe.
The Philadelphia killing was not the main focus of his trial, however, the evidence from that case was utilized to establish a connection between him and the crimes in Delaware.
Authorities are expected to bring charges against him for four more homicides that occurred in Philadelphia during the same period as the crimes he committed in Delaware.
Gibson not only received life sentences but also was sentenced to 297 years in prison for the weapons and robbery charges in Delaware.
Wharton expressed to Gibson that he had provided her with all the assistance he could, but she conveyed her dissatisfaction by stating that it was insufficient.
