UPDATE: Exantus sentenced to 20 years

UPDATE: VERSAILLES, Ky. (WTVQ)- Ronald Exantus was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday morning after the jury finds him not guilty for murder and burglary by reason of insanity.

The jury has found Exantus guilty but mentally ill on assault charges after stabbing and killing 6-year-old Logan Tipton.

The judge has denied the defense’s motion to switch Exantus’ convictions of assault from guilty but mentally ill to not guilty by reason of insanity. The judge says there was enough evidence to support the jury’s original decision on the assault charges.

Tipton’s mother organized a Justice for Logan Walk before Exantus’ sentencing where family and friends of the Tipton’s walked to the court house.

Tipton’s mother has started a petition called Logan’s Law that would give proper punishment to those who kill innocent victims who were caught in the act and confess to committing the crime.

Tipton’s mother says she wants Logan’s Law to help any and all helpless victims and their families.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – A jury recommends a 20-year sentence for Ronald Exantus after finding him guilty but mentally ill on assault charges connected to a case involving the murder of a Woodford County boy.

The sentence was handed down Tuesday, less than 24 hours after the same jury delivered its verdict.

It was the maximum sentence allowed.

Exantus was also charged with murder and burglary.

The jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity on both charges.

The verdict shocked and angered 6-year-old Logan Tipton’s family, who could be heard yelling “It’s not fair!” inside the courtroom when the verdict was read.

Exantus, who was a dialysis nurse, drove from Indianapolis to Versailles, where he walked into the Tipton’s unlocked home and stabbed the boy to death in his bed.

The defense argued that Exantus suffered a psychotic break.

The prosecution said Exantus knew what he was doing at the time of the murder and was seeking the death penalty against him.

The trial was moved from Woodford County to Fayette County because of pretrial publicity.

Formal sentencing for Exantus will be on April 24 at 10 a.m. in Woodford County.