A former airline pilot and U.S. Army Ranger has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering three people.
Christian R. Martin, 53, of Pembroke (Christian Co.) was convicted for fatally shooting three of his neighbors. The trial was held in Hardin County due to pretrial publicity in Christian County, but his sentencing took place on Thursday in Christian County.
Martin was convicted of fatally shooting three of his neighbors, Edward Dansereau and Calvin and Pamela Phillips, in November 2015.
Calvin Phillips, 59, was found shot to death with a .45 caliber pistol in his Pembroke home on November 19, 2015. The remains of Dansereau, 63, and Pamela Phillips, 58, were later discovered in a burnt vehicle in a field. They had been shot with a .22 caliber pistol prior to being taken by Martin to the field several miles away where Martin set the vehicle on fire.
The murders took place two weeks before Calvin Phillips was scheduled to testify in Martin’s court-martial. The military court eventually convicted Martin of mishandling classified information and assault on a child. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and discharged after 30 years of military service.
After a two-week triple murder trial in Hardin Circuit Court, a jury convicted Martin of all charges, including three counts of murder, one count of first-degree arson, attempted arson, two counts of first-degree burglary, and three counts of tampering with physical evidence.
Martin was indicted by a Christian County Grand Jury on May 10, 2019, and was arrested at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport the following day by U.S. Marshals, Louisville police and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.
Martin was a pilot for an American Airlines subsidiary.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
