Woman, boyfriend each sentenced to up to 50 years for trying to her father

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A woman convicted of trying to kill her father received up to 50 years in prison.

Her boyfriend received the same term after both were sentenced on Tuesday in Sarpy County District Court.

Both were found guilty last year of first-degree assault.

Prosecutors said Gabriella Laws and Joshua Fithian attacked Robert Laws with a meat tenderizer and a wooden pole while he slept.

They were facing several felony charges, including criminal attempt/first-degree murder, first-and-second degree assault, using a weapon to commit a felony and conspiracy to commit murder.

A plea agreement reduced the charges from attempted first-degree murder.

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Court documents filed by Bellevue police investigators reveal allegations against a woman and her boyfriend that both of them tried to kill the woman's father with a meat tenderizer.

Gabriella Laws, 18, and Joshua Fithian, 18, face several felony charges, including criminal attempt/first-degree murder, first-and-second degree assault, using a weapon to commit a felony and conspiracy to commit murder.

"As with any first-degree murder, there's some pre-planning things involved and that's what we believe is the case here," said Bonnie Moore, deputy Sarpy County Attorney.

According to search warrants, Bellevue police responded to a call reporting the assault on Jan. 17, 2021.

The first officer to arrive on scene, per court documents, found the 59-year-old victim upstairs, severely wounded and with the left side of his face "completely swollen."

When the officer tried to talk to the victim, he reportedly could not say anything about who might have attacked him and appeared "stunned."

Bellevue police wrote in the warrant that the victim was taken to Nebraska Medicine to treat his trauma. Documents state that police later learned the injuries were so severe, the victim had to be placed in a medical coma to treat brain bleeding and cranial fractures.

"Something like this is serious at any age, but particularly concerning how young the suspects are in this case," Moore said.

At the crime scene, according to the warrant, another officer found a metal meat tenderizer on the right side of the victim's bed. Bellevue police alleged that, after further investigation, they believed the victim was assaulted while he was in bed.

The warrant filed is for Fithian's DNA, but the details in it shed light on what may have led to the attack he's charged in.

Quoting interviews with Gabriella Laws and Fithian, the warrant said there was a "conversation about Fithian sneaking into the house."The document said Gabriella Laws told officers "it had turned into an issue in which Josh had become upset and remained upset at Maria (the victim's mother) throughout the conversation."

The affidavit said both Laws and Fithian denied involvement in the attack.The warrant also notes that detectives were able to speak with Robert Laws about the attack at a rehabilitation facility in February.

He told them he didn't remember, but "thought Josh may have been responsible based on the previous argument.""For being as young as they are there's quite a bit of jail time here with these charges," Moore said.

Gabriella Laws was arrested in December for carrying a concealed weapon.

Fithian has multiple juvenile entries in the court record database.

Both are expected in court this week.