Assistant Prosecutor Kelly O’Keefe told the judge Terry, her former “significant other,” beat her, stabbed her multiple times and “her skull was shattered like an egg shell.” When her younger brother Danny O’Keefe rushed in to her Fairfield home on May 6 to save her, Terry attacked him, stabbing him 19 times in the head; he “mutilated his right arm” and lacerated his spleen.
“The doctors told me he stabbed me at least eight times in the head and in all their years of practice, they had never seen such a horrible injury resulting from violence,” she said during a sentencing hearing on Monday. “Unfortunately, that was until they saw my brother Danny.”
O’Keefe called her brother a hero and said she never thought she would be a victim of a crime, she and her brother are “not victims, we’re survivors.”
She said she miraculously awoke after about seven hours in a pool of her own blood and saw her brother in the same condition. She was able to call for help and after several surgeries, she and her survived.
Danny O’Keefe has scars visible on his head. In the courtroom Monday, his right hand was limp by his side and he limped in obvious pain to his seat. His law partner Scott McKinley spoke on his behalf.
“How this isn’t a double murder case can only be explained as a miracle,” he said. “Right now Danny should be continuing to build his practice as a criminal defense lawyer and pursuing his dream. Instead he is here, facing the man that has caused him to suffer so much ... What did he do to deserve this?
“He protected his sister from being stabbed to death,” McKinley said.
Terry was originally charged with attempted murder, but plead guilty to two counts of felonious assault and tampering with evidence. Winkler imposed the maximum sentence because he said he did not believe Terry was remorseful and he poses a threat to society.
Before the judge imposed the sentence, Terry apologized to the O’Keefe family and his own family and friends.
“I am responsible for negatively impacting the lives of a lot of people,” he said. “I brought sadness and regret to the O’Keefe family, I caused their friends, co-workers and colleagues to ride an emotional roller coaster through all of this. I’ve also hurt my family and all my friends which I have come to regret.”
The O’Keefe family did not want to comment after the sentencing, but Kelly O’Keefe’s boss Prosecutor Mike Gmoser said everyone was pleased with the sentence.
“I thought it was entirely fair and appropriate and it was well reasoned and well deserved,” he said.
Terry’s attorney Mike Haas said his client is very remorseful and they could appeal the maximum sentence.
“I don’t think any of us were surprised,” Haas said. “It was a very heinous crime but Mr. Terry has lived a very honorable life, he’s never committed a crime and his sole record is three speeding tickets. By all accounts he was a nice and affable guy.
Every person I spoke to was in absolute shock that this had happened,” he said.
Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4525 or dcallahan@coxohio.com.
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