Indiana Supreme Court upholds life sentence for Amanda Carmack
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) –The Indiana Supreme Court Thursday upheld life without parole for a Grant County woman convicted of murdering her 10-year-old stepdaughter.
The state’s highest court rejected Amanda Carmack’s argument that she killed Skylea Carmack in an act of “sudden heat” and should have been convicted of a lesser charge than murder.
A jury convicted Amanda Carmack for the 2019 death of Skylea, whose body was found in a trash bag near the family’s house.
Prosecutors said evidence proved Amanda killed Skylea after a fight over a stolen charm bracelet on August 31, 2019, then hid the child’s body in the trash bag.
A Silver Alert was issued for Skylea on September 1. Police said Amanda Carmack confessed to the killing three days later.
The Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling said prosecutors proved there was no “sudden heat” in this case, because the death happened several hours after the initial fight.
“In reviewing the evidence supporting the judgment, we hold the State met its evidentiary burden to disprove the existence of sudden heat because of the lack of adequate provocation, accompanied by a sustained cooling-off period,” Justice Mark Massa wrote. “Indeed, the record here is so bereft of evidence of sudden heat that if there be any error, it was giving the jury this option in the first place.”
PDF: Ruling by the Indiana Supreme Court on the appeal of Amanda Carmack
The justices also rejected Amanda Carmack’s claim that Skylea’s reactions to discipline provoked her murder.
“At most, Carmack’s subjective parenting issues with (Skylea) could have been addressed through rote disciplinary measures—not strangulation,” Massa wrote.
Online records from the Indiana Department of Correction show Carmack is serving her life sentence at the Indiana Women’s Prison in Indianapolis.
Previous Coverage:
- Indiana Supreme Court considers appeal of Gas City woman convicted of murdering stepdaughter
- Woman found guilty of murdering stepdaughter, hiding body in trash bag
- Woman sentenced to life in prison for murdering stepdaughter, hiding body in trash bag
- Woman accused of murdering stepdaughter waives right to counsel
- ISP: Woman strangled stepdaughter, hid body in trash bag behind shed
- Hundreds gather for vigil honoring life of Gas City girl found murdered
