Castle Rock, Colo., mom convicted of murder in her 2 kids' deaths, gets 2 life sentences

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. – A Colorado woman has been convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths of her two children, who were smothered in May 2011.

The Denver Post reports (http://bit.ly/TkDhZC ) Kelli Murphy, of Castle Rock, was convicted Tuesday of two counts each of first-degree murder after deliberation and first-degree murder of a victim under age 12. A judge immediately sentenced her to two life sentences without parole.

Prosecutors argued Murphy killed her 6-year-old daughter, Madigan, and 9-year-old son, Liam, as revenge against her husband after the couple filed for divorce.

Murphy's lawyer, Ara Ohanion, wanted jurors to consider lesser charges. Ohanion argued that Murphy intended to kill herself and blacked out after drinking vodka and taking pills.

Ohanion says Murphy woke up to find her children dead and doesn't remember what happened.

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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com