Ronald McClure, Indianapolis was sentenced to an 80-year prison term Friday, March 25. He was convicted of attempted murder and kidnapping, among other crimes.
HANCOCK COUNTY — It was an emotional and explosive sentencing hearing in Hancock County Superior Court 1 on Friday, March 25.
Ronald Lee McClure, 50, Indianapolis, who had been convicted of attempting to murder an Indianapolis woman, was given an 80-year prison term by judge D.J. Davis. Before the sentencing, McClure yelled out and interrupted the hearing process multiple times, including telling the victim he still had feelings for her.
“I love you,” McClure said while seated at the defense table dressed in an orange jumpsuit, handcuffed with his feet shackled.
The victim, seated at the witness stand replied, “that makes me sick.”
McClure was convicted of attempting to kill the woman, along with seven other charges, during a trial in early March that stemmed from a stabbing incident in the county in May 2021.
Davis handed down the lengthy sentence following the sentencing hearing where he heard from the victim, the victim’s daughter and McClure. McClure implored Davis to go easy on him, saying he didn’t take a life so the judge shouldn’t take his. He tapped his left leg repeatedly while Davis explained the sentencing.
Davis told McClure there were aggravating circumstances associated with the sentence including his past record and the disregard for a restraining order against him.
“You just didn’t harm (the victim’s name). You changed her life forever,” Davis said. “The fact is you rammed her car, forced yourself into her car, beat her and stabbed her.”
McClure was given a 35-year prison term for the Level 1 felony count of attempted murder, 25 years for a Level 2 felony count of kidnapping while hijacking a vehicle, 15 years for a Level 3 felony count of armed robbery, five years for a Level 5 felony count of stalking, and one-and-a-half years for a Level 6 felony count of criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon. The Level 6 felony count of auto theft was merged with count 3. He was also given a one-year term for a Class A misdemeanor count of domestic battery and 180 days for a Class B misdemeanor count of leaving the scene of an accident.
The term equates to an 80-year executed prison term with McClure having to serve 75% of the time or some 60 years.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Aimee Herring had asked Davis to sentence McClure to a 86-and-a-half-year term while defense attorney Jeff McClarnon asked Davis to have some consideration for his client, who he said was human but severely flawed.
Herring reminded Davis during her statement to the court that McClure had threatened to kill the victim even telling her neither of them were going to get out of their relationship alive.
“Let her get out of this alive,” Herring said.
Prior to being sentenced, McClure spoke to the court asking for forgiveness.
“I don’t want to do the rest of my life in prison,” he said. “I’d like to apologize… I know it doesn’t come close to making things right.”
The victim sobbed at times when she told the court McClure was an irrational person who would hurt her again if given the chance and then asked the court to give him the harshest sentence possible.
“I can only pray that once this is over he will never, ever, ever, ever see the light of day,” the victim said. “I’d personally like to see him on death row.”
The victim also told the court that law enforcement in Indianapolis let her down on multiple occasions after McClure repeatedly ignored a restraining order — one she said officials there refused to enforce.
“If this had happened in Marion County, I probably would have been dead right now,” she said, adding that she was thankful that the stabbing incident happened in Hancock County where a Sheriff’s official happpend upon the stabbing incident just as it happened, saving the women’s life.
The multiple outburst by McClure during the hearing caused Davis to clear the courtroom at one point after the victim became emotional on the stand. The judge then held McClure in contempt of court following several warning statements.
The victim was attacked on May, 2021 at a Speedway store at 5972 W. U.S. 40 and had two dogs in her vehicle at the time. One was recovered, but the other one, a small, older, black and white dog, is still missing. The dog’s name is Skyrider. If anyone knows where the dog might be, please contact the sheriff’s department at 317-477-1144.
