PENSACOLA, Fla. (Court TV) — Donald Wayne Hartung was sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison after a jury spared him the death penalty for murdering his mother and two half-brothers.

Escambia County Sheriff’s Office

Hartung, dubbed the ‘Blue Moon Killer,’ was convicted of murdering Voncile Smith, 77, John Smith, 47, and Richard Smith, 49, in what was once believed to be a ritualistic killing. The victims were stabbed in their throats, struck with a hammer and buried under piles of clothing. The victims were killed on July 28, 2015, and their bodies were found three days later in the home they shared.

When authorities initially contacted Hartung, he reportedly did not deny seeing the victims the evening they were killed. He said Tuesdays were a routine dinner visit with his mother and brothers. Neighbors told authorities it was normal to see Hartung at the home on Tuesdays; however, this time, he drove away late at night with no headlights.

On July 31, authorities conducted a search of Hartung’s home and found puzzling evidence. They reportedly discovered clothes Hartung was wearing during the alleged crime, possible murder weapons and a Wiccan/Pagan “worship room.” Because of the leaked evidence and the July 31 Blue Moon, news outlets dubbed Hartung the ‘Blue Moon Killer.’

Further investigation revealed the killings may have been financially motivated. A co-worker of Hartung told police the defendant stated he would inherit his mother’s assets because he was the eldest living heir, according to investigators.

DAILY TRIAL UPDATES

DAY 7 – 1/29/20

• Assistant State Attorney Bridgette Jensen delivers the state’s closing argument.
  • WATCH: Witchcraft Triple Murder Trial: Prosecution Delivers Closing Argument (PARTIAL)
• Defense attorney Michael Griffith
  • WATCH: Witchcraft Triple Murder Trial: Defense Delivers Closing Argument (PARTIAL)
• The jury returns a verdict, finding Hartung guilty of murder.
  • WATCH: Donald Hartung Verdict Is In – Watch His Stone-Cold Reaction

DAY 6 – 1/28/20

• Hartung’s defense rests after calling seven witnesses.
• The defense forensic pathologist offered an alternative estimated date of death, which falls 24-36 hours after Hartung said he last saw the victims in the home.
• The judge shut down an attempt by the defense to elicit expert testimony that would have undermined DNA results.
• The state called one rebuttal witness to correct her prior testimony about blood found on the hammer.

DAY 5 – 1/27/20

• The prosecution rested its case after testimony from the medical examiner and a Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime lab analyst.
  • WATCH: Witchcraft Triple Murder Trial: Crime Lab Analyst Grilled About DNA
• Hartung’s defense attorney called a Wiccan minister and a police procedures consultant.

DAY 4 – 1/24/20

• Jailhouse informant Marlin Purifoy said Donald Hartung confessed to killing his family and provided details that only law enforcement knew, and some that they didn’t know.
  • WATCH: Witchcraft Triple Murder Trial: Jailhouse Informant Says Defendant Cut Brother’s Throat
• Hartung’s son corroborated some of Purifoy’s testimony.
• An attorney for Hartung’s mother said that she made no provisions for the defendant in her will.

DAY 3 – 1/23/20

• Jurors watch recordings of two voluntary statements the defendant gave to police within 24 hours of the discovery of the bodies.
• A next-door neighbor says he saw Hartung leave the house after his brother, Richard Smith, returned on the alleged night of the murders, contradicting Hartung’s claim that he did not see Richard on July 28, 2015.
• Cell phone records indicate that the last outgoing call from victim Richard Smith’s personal cell phone was made at 6:46 p.m. on July 28, 2015.

DAY 2 – 1/22/20

• Surveillance footage offers fleeting glimpses of victims John and Richard smith alive as they left their respective jobs at Walmart and the DHS office at Pensacola NAS a final time before they were killed.
• Jurors see photos of the inside of defendant Donald Hartung’s home, including the so-called “worship room” with relics, books about witchcraft and a Ouija board.
• Prosecutors introduce videos and testimony from Richard Smith’s coworkers to support their theory that the victims were killed the afternoon/early evening of July 28, 2015.
• Crime scene technicians and investigators offer no forensic evidence linking Donald Hartung to the crime scene except for a pair of his shoes and areas of his home that tested positive for the presumptive presence of blood.
  • Crime scene technician concedes on cross that the presumptive test does not say whose blood it was and that material such as animal blood, cleaning supplies or certain vegetables could yield the same positive result.

DAY 1 – 1/21/20

• The defense and prosecution delivered opening statements.
  • WATCH: Witchcraft Triple Murder Trial: Prosecution Opening Statement
  • WATCH: Witchcraft Triple Murder Trial: Defense Opening Statement
• First responders dispatched to the scene described discovering the victims’ bodies.
  • WATCH: Witchcraft Triple Murder Trial: Crime Scene Technician Shows Bloody Evidence
  • The crime scene technician’s record of stealing opiates from an evidence locker nearly overshadows her testimony.
  • The defense tries to undermine the state’s forensic evidence by getting the crime scene technician to concede tehre’s no way to know how long items containing the defendant’s DNA were sitting in a trash can.