Mich. v. Samantha Bachynski: news report (2)

Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Bachynski gets 4 life terms
Relatives berate her for her part in murders of Melissa and Scott Berels of New Baltimore.
George Hunter / The Detroit News
MOUNT CLEMENS -- Sara Katsavrias glared at the woman who helped kill her son and daughter-in-law.
"You are a cold-blooded murderer," she said to Samantha Bachynski, who sobbed loudly and did not turn to face her accuser.
"I thank God you will be spending the rest of your very long and miserable life in prison."
After emotional statements from her victims' families, Bachynski was sentenced Tuesday to four life sentences for the Feb. 15 murders of Scott and Melissa Berels of New Baltimore. But family members said they will spend the rest of their lives in anguish.
Macomb Circuit Judge Richard Caretti sentenced Bachynski to two life terms for premeditated murder and to life terms for kidnapping and assault on a pregnant woman with intent to cause stillbirth or miscarriage.
Melissa Berels was 10 weeks pregnant when she died.
Before the sentencing, members of the Berels family angrily addressed Bachynski, who wailed loudly throughout the proceeding.
"I'm sure even to this day you cannot even begin to understand what you took away from us that night in February," Katsavrias said.
Before Caretti handed down his sentence, he also had harsh words for the sobbing Bachynski.
"The English language is devoid of words to adequately describe your evil actions," he said.
A jury last month found Bachynski guilty of murdering the couple inside their New Baltimore home. Bachynski's fiance, Patrick Selepak, previously pleaded guilty to the murders and is serving several life sentences.
Bachynski, 20, and her attorneys maintained that Selepak killed the couple and that she only assisted out of fear for her life.
"I don't know what to say anymore," Bachynski wept, never turning away from the judge's bench to face her victims' relatives.
"Patrick (Selepak) is a horrible person," she said. "I didn't want those people to die. It's not fair I should have to do prison time." When Bachynski made the last statement, family members shook their heads in disbelief.
Katsavrias said she was thankful Bachynski will never have an opportunity to have children.
"How could you have thought your so-called fiance really cared about you? He didn't; he was only using you," she said.
"What a miserable fool you were -- and still are. You have no idea what love really and truly is, and you probably never have," Katsavrias said. "Otherwise, you might have thought about your actions before committing them.
"There is no love in the place you'll be going. Life in prison is exactly what you deserve."
Authorities also accuse Bachynski of helping Selepak kill Winfield "Fred" Johnson on Feb. 21 in his Vienna Township home. The couple met Johnson in a Flint bar.
Bachynski's trial in the Johnson murder case is expected to begin Dec. 5 in Genesee County Circuit Court. Selepak already has pleaded guilty to that murder.
Steven Katsavrias, Scott Berels' stepfather, said Bachynski and Selepak were trying to emulate the notorious 1930s criminal couple Bonnie and Clyde.
"You decided to go down in history as the Bonnie of this deadly duo," he said. "Sadly, for all concerned, that was a decision with life-and-death consequences."