Dimas Gets 68 Years

Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Rex Reed rejected all mitigating factors and sentenced Christoval Dimas, 27, of Ligonier, this morning to the maximum terms in prison for murder and abuse of a corpse, 65 years and three years, respectively.

The terms were ordered served consecutively for a total of 68 years. With allowable prison credits, including one day off of his sentence for each day served on good behavior, the earliest Dimas could be released from custody is Sept. 13, 2036, according to Reed. Dimas has been incarcerated since his arrest Sept. 13, 2000.

Dimas was convicted March 1 after a five-day trial in the death of 22-year-old Crystal Gayle Homister of Elkhart.

The range for sentencing for murder is 45 to 65 years, with 55 years being the starting point and the judge being allowed to add or subtract up to 10 years.

Reed said he believed the additional sentence was justified. "You will have longer to reflect on what you've done," Reed said. "Maybe you will be there long enough that you are no longer a threat to society."

One of the things a judge must consider, Reed said, is whether a defendant is likely to commit another crime if released from incarceration.

"If I had a crystal ball, I'd say that's 100 percent," Reed said.

Reed said the aggravating circumstances, including the nature of the crime and Dimas' criminal history, "overwhelmingly outweighed" any mitigating factors.

"Murder is certainly a horrible crime ... (but) in and of itself isn't cause for aggravating your sentence," Reed said. He added that the five days of testimony that were presented indicated Homister "was sought out by you for the purpose of engaging in an unnatural sexual relationship ... that she resisted ... she was raped ... she was struck in the head by some object that caused her death ... she was possibly shot in a fashion that her bones would not be broken" and all of these are "separate and distinct factors for aggravating your (murder) sentence." Reed also cited Homister being beheaded and burned as aggravators in the abuse of a corpse sentence. Not to consider all of those aspects of the "brutal nature in which Crystal was treated," Reed said, "would be foolish."

While no mitigating factors were noted on a presentence report prepared by the Kosciusko County Probation Department, court-appointed defense attorney Michael Miner said that Dimas' young age and the fact that he has three young children should be considered for mitigating purposes.

"I reject your young age as a mitigating factor," Reed said. "You're 27 years old. If that's a mitigator, when are you ever going to grow up?"

Reed also rejected, although it wasn't in the probation department report, any hardship Dimas' incarceration would cause for his family and the three children he has with his girlfriend, Stacey Wieand.

"I don't think that you've ever supported these children," Reed said. "I think they're better off without you there."

Testimony was offered by Homister's mother and one of her 11 siblings, as well as by Dimas' cousin with whom he lived. Dimas declined to comment on his own behalf.

Dimas' cousin, Margarita Magon, begged the court for mercy in sentencing. "He's not a monster," Magon said. "He's innocent of this crime."

Speaking on behalf of the family, Homister's sister, Homeretta Faulkner, said they believe in corporal punishment, but could not morally accept it.

"We want justice," Faulkner said, adding that justice "will not give us the words when her boys ask 'Where's mommy?'"

She said Dimas should "be locked away and never be able to hurt or torture another individual."

Reed didn't allow Faulkner to directly address Dimas, but Homister's mother, Dana Homister, was provided with the opportunity. "What in the world did she do to make you hate her so much? ... Why did you have to take her body out and do what you done so we couldn't say good-bye? I feel deep down in my heart you did do it even though your family doesn't think so."

Dana Homister said Crystal was her youngest child and despite what has happened, Dimas "can't take away our love and memories of Crystal. We can only teach her kids not to grow up to be something like you."

Homister's burned remains - a partial skeleton - were found in April 2000 in a wooded area off CR 1050N on the east side of Lake Wawasee. Homister was reported missing Jan. 7, 2000, by family members.

Dimas was indicted by a grand jury in September 2000 on charges of murder, assisting a criminal and abuse of a corpse. The assisting a criminal charge was later dismissed.

Homister was the mother of three children, including a son fathered by Dimas' brother, Jesses Dimas, authorities said.

Testimony during the trial indicated Homister was killed after refusing to have sex with Dimas and another man. Among the prosecution witnesses were several inmates who testified about the details of the murder as told to them by Dimas.

Dimas maintains his innocence and plans to appeal his conviction. Miner was appointed pauper counsel to continue to defend Dimas throughout that process.