Dennison receives prison sentence for murdering father, fiance
Hillary Dennison speaks on her life leading up to her killing Harold Dennison, her father, and Beau Wasmer, her fiance. In her life she said she struggled with domestic abuse from her father as well as drug problems throughout her teenage and adult life. (Photo by Candice Black)
PARKERSBURG — Hillary Dennison, a 30 year old Williamstown native and mother of two, was sentenced to consecutive 40 years and life in prison after killing her father, Harold Dennison, and her fiance, Beau Wasmer. Dennison’s sentencing was Friday in Wood County Circuit Judge Robert Water’s courtroom. Dennison was sentenced for first degree murder for her father’s death, and second degree murder for her fiance’s death. Dennison’s attorney, Reggie Bailey, asked if her sentence could be concurrent instead of consecutive, this way her parole would be in 15 years instead of 20 years. “If she could take back the shots fired, she would,” argued Bailey. The defense also argued that Dennison should not have to pay as much restitution on the addendum as both Dennison and Wasmer agreed to make the repairs together. After Bailey spoke on her sentencing, Dennison spoke on her past traumas and the events that led up to her shooting and killing her fiance and father. She spoke for nearly 50 minutes on her past troubles regarding domestic abuse from her father, drug abuse with heroin and methamphetamine, financial problems, depression and the paranoia that led to her killing her father and fiance. She said she regretted taking their lives. When the prosecution was given the chance to speak, Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure asked for the maximum sentence to be given. Lefebure said that it sounded as if Dennison was blaming her traumatic past on her shooting of her fiance and father. “As we know, her sister has a great family and is a productive member of society. So I don’t believe that her upbringing excuses what she has done,” he said. Lefebure also brought up that Dennison did not show remorse or emotion in the aftermath of the killing. “I think that if we run these sentences concurrently, as the defense has requested, we will be diminishing the value of the lives of Harold and Beau,” Lefebure said during the sentencing. “Each of the lost lives deserves punishment.” Lefebure also asked that the restitution be imposed with the sentencing. Once Lefebure was finished speaking, four of Wasmer’s loved ones spoke regarding the impact of his loss and one had a letter to read with their statement. Water’s sentenced Dennison to 40 years in prison, and gave her a life sentence to serve after. Dennison will get the chance to have a parole hearing after 20 years. Her life sentence has 180 of credit, and the life sentence comes with parole. Clara Noelle can be reached at intern@newsandsentinel.comLocal News
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