Gregory Bush was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2018 killings of Maurice Stallard, 69, and Vickie Jones, 67, according to Jefferson County court documents.
Bush pleaded guilty but mentally ill to charges of murder, attempted murder and wanton endangerment, according to the court documents.
“Vickie Jones and Maurice Stallard were senselessly murdered because of the color of their skin. Our entire community and commonwealth had suffered a loss because of racial enmity,” the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Wine said in a statement.
“On the day of this tragedy, Mr. Bush’s schizophrenia was not medicated, so he was tortured by voices that threatened to kill him and his family,” Elleman said. “He acted out of his psychosis and his illness, while at the very same time his elderly parents were downtown seeking a mental inquest warrant to hospitalize him for everyone’s safety.”
However, court records show Bush has a history of making racist threats, according to WDRB.
Kelly Watson, Stallard’s daughter, said during the court hearing that her father was with her son when he was shot, WDRB reported.
“The man whose life you took, he gave and he loved everybody around him,” Watson said. “He was there for everybody … And I hope that while you are sitting in jail, you are able to reconcile your own life and think about what you did. And I’m grateful you will never be able to hurt anyone else.”
After the shooting, Bush exchanged multiple rounds of gunfire in the Kroger parking lot with an armed civilian who had a concealed carry permit. Police arrested Bush shortly after the shooting
Bush did not make a statement after his sentencing, WDRB reported.
CNN’s Amanda Watts also contributed to this story.