Sampson County man gets life sentence for triple murder

Jurors convicted Kenneth Mark Hartley on Nov. 22 of three counts of first-degree murder, but they rejected a death sentence after several days of testimony.

Hartley, 26, was convicted in the June 18, 2004, slayings of Teresa Gail Tyndall, Tristan Megan Bush, 13, and Robert Steven Bush II, 10.

Tyndall was stabbed nearly 30 times in the neck and chest, Robert was stabbed a dozen times and Tristan was strangled and sexually molested. All three were found bound and gagged in different rooms of their mobile home in Plain View.

The jury also found Hartley guilty of attempted first-degree rape and first-degree sex offense in the case.

Deputies initially searched for Hartley, who lived at the residence, fearing that he could be in danger. Instead, they  arrested him five days later for the slayings.

Hartley received three consecutive life sentences on the murder charges and another 33 to 41 years on the rape and sex offense charges.