CANTON, S.D. (KELO) — In just seconds, Justin Rackley ended three people’s lives.
Now, he will spend the rest of his own life in prison.

Rackley murdered three people and injured two others at a home in southwest Sioux Falls in June of last year.

Behind the scenes of Falls Park’s Winter Wonderland

Friday, he returned to the Lincoln County Courthouse to receive his sentence.

It only took a jury an hour and a half to decide that Rackley was guilty at his trial in August.

They convicted him of three counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault. Friday, he was sentenced for each of those crimes.

Friday’s hearing inside the Lincoln County Courthouse was as much about Justin Rackley as the three people who he killed.

One by one, friends and family members talked about Michael Thompson, Kellie Reaves and Daniel Kemnitz.

One of Michael Thompson’s friends said, “God has gained one of the nicest young men I have ever known.”

A family member said Daniel Kemnitz could “take worries away with a simple hug.”

And Kellie Reaves was described as the “embodiment of love and laughter.”

For the most part, Justin Rackley looked down as they spoke.

When he had the opportunity to address the courtroom, he maintained his innocence.

The Judge responded, saying it was disheartening to the court that Rackley didn’t take responsibility for his actions.

She told him there was “No one else who could have committed the crime.”

She then sentenced him to three life sentences without parole – one for each of the people he killed.

Those sentences will be followed by two additional 15-year sentences – one for each of the people who he assaulted.

“We’re very happy with the sentencing here today,” Senior Deputy State’s Attorney Amanda Eden said. “Certainly, the fact that she was willing to recognize each victim and to run them consecutive to each other, it truly meant a lot to the victim’s families. It meant a lot to our office to recognize them as individuals and that each of them deserved their own sentence.”

“I’m feeling relief, happiness, sadness, grief. It’s just all combined,” Daniel Kemnitz’s mother, Jean Kemnitz said. “Someone had said in the courtroom today about this chapter is closed, and that is so true that we closed this chapter, but we have a lot of chapters left to go.”

Now, Jean Kemnitz and the other families impacted will try to move forward.

“We truly know that Dan is fishing in heaven, and he’s happy, and we’re trying to be happy,” Jean Kemnitz said.

After the hearing, Rackley was brought to the Jameson Annex. He’ll remain in prison for the rest of his life.