Jurors sentenced Terry Dale Carnes to four life sentences Friday evening after a week-long trial. Prosecutors Jo Ann Linzer and Mike Shirley prosecuted the case which involved two distinct child kidnappings and one forcible child sexual assault. Judge Kathleen Hamilton, of the 359th District Court, will impose the jury’s sentence Tuesday morning at 9:00 am.

In July of 2010, the defendant broke into the home of his first child victim, 6 years of age, and abducted her. He held his hand over her mouth as he carried her out of her home into his waiting vehicle. Once inside his vehicle, he physically and sexually assaulted her. She was released and told her parents what had occurred the next morning.

In August, Terry Carnes abducted another girl (14 years of age) in an obvious attempt to sexually assault her. The young girl bit him on the arm and was able to flee the moving vehicle. She was able to provide a physical description of the defendant and picked him out of a line up.

The defendant’s DNA was found on the first victim’s clothing, and the second victim’s DNA was found in the suspect’s car.

During punishment, the State brought in two girls and one boy who were prior victims of the defendant. After hearing from them, the twelve jurors returned four life sentences on the two counts of aggravated kidnapping, one count of injury to a child and one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child. He will be eligible for parole in 30 years. The District Attorney’s office will file a parole protest packet requesting that Mr. Carnes never be released from prison.

“Terry Dale Carnes is everyone’s worst nightmare: a violent child serial rapist who breaks into houses to abduct his victims or pulls them into his car as they walk along the street,” stated District Attorney Brett Ligon. “Life in prison is the only just sentence for such an atrocious criminal. I hope the five brave victims who testified in this case sleep a little better knowing Terry Dale Carnes will never ever get out of prison again.”