Houston's Line of
Duty Firefighters
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Woodrow Wilson Erwin


Born: March 2, 1914, in Palestine, Texas
Died: February 24, 1954, at age
39
38th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: July
8, 1940
Assignment: Chauffeur-Fire House
No. 24
Buried: Forest
Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section 31, Plot 518, Space 1
Woodrow Erwin died of a heart attack after fighting a house
fire at 2705 Clay Street and Nagle Street. That day he was the Acting
Captain, Engine 24 was dispatched to a fire that involved a small shack
located in a junkyard. Immediately after the fire was extinguished, he
complained of a sharp pain in his chest and asked to be taken to the
hospital. On the way to Jefferson Davis Hospital, he asked the attendants to call his wife and have her meet him at the hospital. He died just minutes
before his wife’s arrival.
Woodrow drafted into the United States Naval Reserves in April 1942
during World War II. He received his discharge September 12, 1945 and
returned to the ranks of the Houston Fire Department.
He is survived by his wife Mabel and their daughter Joan.
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Lonnie L. Franklin


Born: November 14, 1929, in Houston, Texas
Died: January 4, 1983, at age 53
52nd
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
August 5, 1950
Assignment: District Chief-Fire House No. 7 “B” Shift
Buried: Resthaven Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Section 7, Plot 78, Space 4
Chief Franklin died while responding to a house fire in the
2800 block of Dowling Street near Drew Street. The District Chief’s car was
struck broadside by a pickup truck which had ran the stop sign at the
intersection of Elgin Street and Hutchins Street. Engine 7 and Ladder 7 were
seconds behind. The engine crew stopped to render aid while the ladder truck
proceeded to the fire. Lonnie was transported by Ambulance 25 to Hermann Hospital where he succumbed to his
injuries.
The driver of the pick up truck was speeding because he was late for work.
He was found guilty of Negligent Homicide.
The cause of the house fire was ruled arson.
Chief Franklin is survived by his childhood sweetheart Kathrine, and four
children. Lonnie, Michael, Tommy and Judy.
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Robert Herman “Bobby” Garner IV



Born: April
14, 1984, in Port Arthur, Texas
Died:
May 31, 2013, at age 29
65th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
October 18, 2010, Class 2010B
Assignment:
Firefighter-Fire House No. 68 “A” Shift
Buried:
Forest Park Cemetery, Westheimer, Section 500, Lot 64, Space 10
Robert Garner, died along with Matt Renaud, Bobby Bebee and
Anne Sullivan while fighting a fire at the Southwest Inn, 6855 Southwest
Freeway at Hornwood Drive. The fire started in the Bhojan Indian Restaurant,
which was in the front of the motel complex. Just fifteen minutes after crews
arrived, the roof collapsed, trapping five firefighters. Before the rescuers
were able to reach the firefighters, a second ceiling collapsed, trapping
all of the rescuers. They were able to escape the collapse along with
Captain Dowling, one of the five trapped firefighters.
Before becoming a proud member of the Houston Fire Department, Robert served
in the United States Air Force for six years as a SRA (Senior Airman). He
completed two tours of duty in Iraq.
Bobby is the beloved brother to his three sisters, Nicole, Liz, and Lauren.
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Horace Oscar Gassoway


Born: July 18, 1904, in Winnsboro, Texas
Died:
August 6, 1941, at age
37
27th
HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department:
September 1928
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 10
Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Section J, Plot 31, Space 1
The day that Horace Gassoway died, he was working at the
Central Fire Station, assigned to Service Truck 1. His regular assignment
was Fire House No. 10. The crew was dispatched to a fire in the Weingarten’s
Grocery Store on Washington Avenue and Preston Street. They were involved in
a collision with Engine 2, also dispatched to the same fire. The two fire
trucks entered the intersection of Smith Street and Preston Street at the
same time. Four firefighters were injured, Horace died at the scene.
Horace is survived by his wife of sixteen years, Velma Agnes and
their two daughters Gloria Nell, age thirteen and Mary Lou, age eleven.
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Robert
Rutherford Glass


Born:
September 14, 1882, in Houston, Texas
Died: December 1, 1913, at age 31
9th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: 1902
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Central Fire Station
Buried: Evergreen Cemetery, Section B2, Plot 21, Space 3
Robert Glass was the driver of Auto Chemical Engine 1. He died
while responding to a house fire in the 5th
Ward. While exiting the Central Fire Station, the apparatus collided with
Car No. 119 of the Galveston-Houston Electric Railway. Car No. 119 was
returning to their
roundhouse, which was nearby the Central Fire Station. Glass was
transported to St. Joseph’s Infirmary with two of his crew members. He
succumbed to his injuries the next morning, the two crew members survived.
Robert was the Vice President of the City Fireman’s Union No. 9629,
organized on March 5, 1902.
He held that office from 1906 to
1908. The union was disbanded after Fire Chief O’Leary died in the line of
duty in 1908. The new Fire Chief, Reginald “Kid” Ollre, was never in favor
of an organized union.
He is survived by his wife Delia and son James.
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Edgar Henry Grant Jr.


Born:
March 20, 1902, in Houston, Texas
Died:
July 2, 1929, at age 27
18th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: February 18, 1928
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 18
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section C, Plot 109,
Space 7
Edgar Grant, a six month veteran, died along with Captain
Little and Harry Oxford when Engine 18 was dispatched to a house fire at
2426 Wilshire Street at Telephone Road. The incident was after dark, the
firefighters were distracted by a large glow in the sky from the house fire.
As they approached the railroad crossing at Telephone Road near Lombardy
Street, they did not see a Gulf Coast Line Railway locomotive pulling fifty
three
cars entering the crossing at the same time. Engine 18 was broadsided, Grant
died at the scene and two members of the crew were injured.
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Daniel David
"Danny" Groover


Born: December 15, 1967, in Jacinto City, Texas
Died:
July 9, 2014, at age 46
68th
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire
Department: February 15, 1993, Class 93B
Assignment: Firefighter-Fire House No. 104 “C” Shift
Buried:
Houston National Cemetery, Section G4, Site 1145
Daniel Groover died while fighting a house fire at 1510
Mistletoe Lane near Redbud Lane in Houston’s Kingwood area. Inside the
structure, he became separated from his crew and was found in cardiac
arrest. He was transported to Kingwood Medical Center where he later died.
Danny a second generation Houston Firefighter served five years in the United States Army as a
medic. After his discharge he joined the HFD in 1993. As a medic in
the Army, it was second nature to volunteer as paramedic. He served as a
paramedic from 1997 to 2012.
He was widely known for his compassion toward others
that reached well beyond the Fire Department. Danny inpacted many people in
his short life.
He is survived by his loving wife of thirteen years, Ellie, his children
Cory, Marcus and Thomas. Also survived by his parents, Gary and Joyce.
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James Arthur Harlow Sr.

Born: May
18, 1958, in Beeville, Texas
Died:
April 12, 2009-Easter Sunday, at age 50
61st
HFD
Line of Duty Death
Entered the Fire Department: December 27, 1979, Class 79D
Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 26 “B” Shift
Buried:
Grandview Memorial Park Cemetery, Garden of Prayer, Lot
584, Space 2
Captain Harlow, a thirty year veteran, died with his “Rookie”
Firefighter Damion Hobbs in a house fire at 7811 Oak Vista near Poplar
Street on Easter morning. Captain Harlow entered the structure with his crew
to search for the occupants of the home. Wind driven fire conditions
produced a rapid fire growth that forced Harlow and Hobbs to withdraw, they
collapsed while attempting to exit. They both were quickly found, however
efforts to resuscitate failed.
A devoted husband, father and grandfather, James was a
respectable and approachable captain. He had an open door policy and his
crew members were always comfortable approaching him. He was a perpetual
optimist. He always said in an East Texas accent, “Everything is going to be
alright”. At his memorial service, his family was presented the Houston Fire
Department’s Medal of Honor,
posthumously.
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H. A. "Ace" Harris


Born:
October 24, 1873, in Calvert, Texas
Died:
February 14, 1921-Valentine’s Day, at
age 47
10th
HFD
Line of Duty
Entered the Fire Department:
November 1, 1920
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire Station No. 10
Buried:
Sunnyside Cemetery, Calvert, Texas, Left side
from the front gate, four rows from the front fence.
Before Harris became a member of the Houston Fire Department,
he was a member of the Dallas Fire Department for twelve years. When he moved to
Houston, he
painted houses until he was hired by HFD. He had been a member
for about three months when Engine 10 responded to a fire at the Texas Lamp
and Oil Company, 203 Baker and Cedar Street.
Because of the lack of water supply, the fire crews had to drag hose lines
through a narrow alley to reach the burning building. Harris, along with the
other crew members, entered the alley with two hose lines in order to gain
access to the burning building. Meanwhile, another crew opened a door on the
opposite end of the building. This created a back draft causing multiple
barrels of denatured alcohol to explode, blowing out the wall bordering the
alley, trapping Harris and seven other firefighters. Harris did not perish
from the falling wall, the heavy lamp oil smoke suffocated him.
Harris’ death was overlooked by the Houston Fire Department
for 79 years until a scrapbook owned by Chief Grover Cleveland Adams was
discovered with a
Houston Press
clipping dated February 15, 1921, verifying Harris’ line of duty death.
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Truxton Joseph Hathaway Jr.


Born: January 9, 1940, in Houston, Texas
Died:
October 19, 1971, at age
31
48th HFD Line of Duty
Entered the
Fire Department: February 15, 1961
Assignment: Fire Inspector-Fire Training Academy
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Gethsemane 55, Plot 491,
Space 8
Truxton Hathaway was a Fire Inspector temporarily assigned to
the Fire Training Academy. When an 82 car Missouri Pacific Railroad rain
derailed near Mykawa Road, he went out to the scene to record the incident
for future training.
Two tank cars containing vinyl chloride and butadiene, caught fire and
exploded. Forty minutes later a second blast occurred killing Truxton and
injuring twenty seven firefighters, six members of the news media, one HPD officer,
and two civilians.
To this day, film footage recorded by the news media is used for training
all around the country.
Truxton is survived by his wife of ten years, Marjorie Ann, and two
children, Chris and Phillp, ages eight and six years old. Marjorie's dad,
Richard Henning also served with the Houston Fire Department.
Truxton graduated from Aldine High School in 1959.
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Rudolph
Leon “Rudy” Hendricks

Born: September 29, 1906, in
Colorado City, Texas
Died:
June 22, 1929, at age 22
17th
HFD
Line of Duty
Entered the Fire Department: January 4, 1928
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 25
Buried:
Rosewood Cemetery, Section I, Lot 112, Space 4
Rudy Hendricks, with less than two years in the department,
died while operating a hose line at a house fire at 3552 Reeves Street at
Scott Street. A power line burned through at the house and fell,
electrocuting him. He was transported to Houston Methodist Hospital but died
before arrival.
He recently married his childhood sweetheart.
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Damion Jon Hobbs


Born: December 24, 1978, in Galveston, Texas
Died:
April 12, 2009-Easter Sunday, at age 30
60th HFD Line
of Duty
Entered the Fire Department: March 3, 2009, Class 2008C
Assignment: Firefighter-Fire House No. 26 “B” Shift
Buried:
South Park Cemetery, Garden of Eternal Love,
Lot 53, Space 5
Damion Hobbs died along with Captain Harlow in a house fire
at 7811 Oak Vista near Poplar Street on Easter morning. Engine 26 entered
the structure to search for the occupants of the home.
Wind driven fire conditions produced a rapid fire growth that
forced Harlow and Hobbs to withdraw, they collapsed while attempting to
exit. They both were quickly found, however efforts to resuscitate failed.
Hobbs served two tours of duty in Iraq with the United States Army. He was
at the Val Jahnke Training Facility as a member of Class 31 2004 when he was
deployed the second time. Upon his return he became a member of Class 2008C
and graduated March 3, 2009.
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Claude Jackson Hopkins


Born:
January 20, 1932, in Bryan, Texas
Died: June 30, 1962, at age 30
45th
HFD
Line of Duty
Entered the Fire Department:
November 1, 1956
Assignment:
Chauffeur-Fire House No. 2
Buried: Willowhole Cemetery, North Zulch, Texas, Section
C, Space 359
On Friday, June 29, 1962,
Ladder 2 responded to a sprinkler alarm at the Bayou Products Company, 1209
Commerce Street near San Jacinto Street. The apparatus hit a transport truck
carrying grain at the intersection of Preston Street and Louisiana Street.
Four firefighters were transported to Jefferson Davis Hospital. Claude,
severely injured, died the next day.
The alarm was false, a vagrant attempted to get a drink from a drain valve
of the sprinkler system which set off the alarm.
He graduated from Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, Texas in 1950.
Soon after high school, Claude joined the United States Navy on March 19,
1951. He received his discharge on March 15, 1955. He obtained the rank of
Machinery Repairman Second Class.
He is survived by Delores, his wife of ten years and their two children,
Deborah Lynn and Kenneth Ray.
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Jay Paul Jahnke



Born:
September 16, 1961, in Houston, Texas
Died:
October 13, 2001, at age 40
57th
HFD
Line of Duty
Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 2 “B” Shift
Buried:
Memorial Oaks Cemetery, Section 212, Lot 138, Space 4D, Next to Claude, his Dad
At 0453 hours, Engine 2 responded to a report of a fire in
the Four Leaf Towers, a high rise residential building at 5110 San Felipe
Street and South Post Oak Lane. On arrival the firefighters received a
report that the male occupant was still in the unit on the fifth floor. Upon
entering the unit, they encountered moderate heat and heavy smoke, the fire
had broken one of the windows. The initial search did not locate the
resident, who was later found deceased. Two of the firefighters were running
low on air and were sent to the stairwell. Captain Jahnke then decided that
him and Senior Captain Robert Green from Ladder 28 should do the same. Upon
exiting, the hose line did not clear the apartment’s self closing door, the
door did not completely shut. Simultaneously, a cold front came through, the
high winds pushed the smoke and fire out into the hall where the two
captains were attempting to escape. Captain Jahnke became disoriented and
followed the hose line in the direction of the fire. He transmitted a
“Mayday” and was found a few minutes later. He was carried down and
transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital where shortly after arrival he
succumbed to his injuries.
Jay was a highly respected officer, who was part of the Houston Medical
Strike Team‚ Swift Water Rescue‚ and HAZMAT Certified. He also served as the
Chief Safety Officer with Cy-Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
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Charles Alphonse “Jed” Jedlicka



Born: September
27, 1922, in Cameron, Texas
Died:
November 17, 1959, at age 37
43rd
HFD
Line of Duty
Entered the Fire Department: June 1,
1953
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 30
Buried: Brookside Cemetery, Section 2, Plot 159, Space 1
Charles Jedlicka died after sustaining severe injuries in
an accident that also claimed the life of Willis McWhorter and injured two
other firefighters. Engine 30 was responding to a house fire on Airline
Drive and Benbrook Street. The accident occurred at the intersection of
Fulton Street and Berry Street as an approaching transport truck loaded with
steel beams saw Engine 30, But was unable to stop due to its heavy load. The
fire apparatus was broadsided, breaking it into several pieces.
Due to the severity of his injuries, he was transferred to Brooks Army
Hospital at Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio in a plane owned by a local oil
company. Eleven days later he succumbed to his injuries.
Jed, in 1940, at the of age eighteen he became a member of the
United States Naval Reserves and served during World War II. His group
protected cargo ships to keep them from being sunk by the enemy. In
1943, at the age of twenty one he returned to the United States and was
discharged and returned home.
He is survived by his wife of
twelve years, Helen and his two daughters, Vicki Layne, who was eight
years old and Malissa Ann was four months old at the time of their
father’s death.
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Charles Benard Johnson



Born: April
23, 1893 in Corsicana, Texas
Died:
October 4, 1918, at age 25 in France
Killed in Action United States Army
Entered the Fire Department:
1911
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Central Fire Station
Buried: Oakwood Cemetery, Corsicana, Texas, Section 221, Equator Street, Plot
41
Let me start out with the fact that Charles
Johnson is not an official Houston Fire Department Line of Duty Death. The
details of his life and death were interesting and I wanted to share it with
you all.
This fire fighter is listed on my website, www. houstonfirememorial.com as a
deceased Houston Fire Fighter. The past year or so I have been going through
the listings and trying to find more information on as many fire fighters as
possible. I came across his listing on the web site, findagrave. com.
Charles Benard Johnson Jr. at age 18, left his hometown, Corsicana, to
journey 184 miles to Houston, which would constitute a long way from home,
especially at his young age. In 1911 he began his career as a Houston Fire
Fighter. He served the City of Houston as a Pipe and Ladderman assigned to
the Central Station, 519 San Jacinto and Texas Avenue. In 1916 he resigned
from the Department and returned to his home in Corsicana. September 20,
1916, age 24, he enlisted in the United States Army. He completed his basic
training and was sent to France to fight
against the
German Army in the trenches during World War I as a member of Company D,
359th Infantry.
August 8, 1918 his unit was gassed (mustard gas) by the Germans. On
October 4, 1918 he died in Base Hospital No. 46 after fifty seven days of fighting for his
life. He was buried in Pozieres Memorial, Pozieres, Department de la Somme,
Picardie, France, which is ninety four miles north of Paris. After the war ended, his
body was returned to the United States. On November 11, 1920 (Armistice Day)
a Military
burial service was held
in the Oakwood Cemetery, Corsicana, Texas.
Charles went from one dangerous profession to another. As a Houston Fire
Fighter, in the five years he was a member, Houston had many large fires
including the Fifth Ward fire and the Stowers Building fire and lost four
fire fighters in the line of duty. He left the department and volunteered to
be a soldier in WWI. This conflict saw almost twenty million deaths (military
and civilian) and sadly he was included in that total.
I am proud to call
this man a brother fire fighter.
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Clifford
William Johnson


Born:
1878, in Houston, Texas
Died:
June 13, 1902, at age 24
3rd
HFD
Line of Duty
Entered the Fire Department: 1899
Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Central Fire Station
Buried:
Hollywood Cemetery, Mossy Dell, Plot 42, Space
6
Clifford Johnson, driver of the Fire Chief’s buggy died while
responding to a fire at 1611 Franklin Street and Crawford Street. His
assignment was to pick up Fire Chief “Jack” Arto at home to respond to the
fire. He was traveling at a high rate of speed on Crawford Street, as he
passed Washington No. 8, he ran into the rear of a slow moving buggy without
taillights. The men at the fire house tried to warn the civilian driver, but
were unsuccessful. Johnson was transported to St. Joseph's Infirmary where he
died the next day.
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Cohnway
Matthew Johnson



Born:
October
4, 1982, in Austin, Texas
Died:
May 4, 2009, at age 26
62nd
HFD
Line of Duty
Entered the Fire Department:
April 20, 2009
Assignment: Cadet-Val Jahnke Training Facility, Class 2009C
Buried: Cook-Walden Capital Parks Cemetery, Pflugerville, Texas,
Section H, Lot 1608, Space 3
Cohnway had known from a young age he wanted to be a firefighter. He was
following in his Great Uncle’s footsteps, a Chief with Austin Fire
Department.
Before being chosen to join the Houston Fire Department he served full time
with two other departments, the Yoakum Fire Department and Travis County
Emergency Services District No. 3. Oak Hill Fire Department, Austin, Texas.
Cohnway
worked part time for Travis County Emergency Services District No. 9,
Westlake Fire Department, Austin, Texas. Cohnway also worked part time for
Travis County Emergency Services District No. 12,
Manor,Texas.
On the morning of April 29, 2009, Cadet Johnson collapsed during
physical training and was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital in. Five days later he lost his battle for life due to
complications of hyperthermia and dehydration.
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William Henry "Bill" Kersten


Born:
November 6, 1914, in Houston, Texas
Died: December 18, 1954, at age 40
40th
HFD
Line of Duty
Entered the Fire Department: December 11, 1941
Assignment: Chauffeur-Fire House No. 19
Buried:
Woodland Gardens of Memories Cemetery, Section
56, Plot 116, Space 3D
William Kersten, the driver of District Chief 19 was dispatched to a house
fire at 7306 Bonham Street and Harbor Street. When entering the intersection
of Lockwood Drive and Lyons Avenue the chief’s car collided with a Houston
Transit Company Bus. His chief and three bus passengers were injured.
Kersten was transported to Jefferson Davis Hospital where he did not survive
his injuries.
He had five minutes left on his shift when the alarm was dispatched.
Bill was drafted into the United States Army Air Forces October
31, 1942. He
served his country during World War II. He was discharged from the military
January 19, 1946.
He is survived by his wife of fifteen years, Elsie
Elisabeth.
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Kevin Wayne Kulow



Born:
November 2, 1971, in Bellville, Texas
Died:
April 4, 2004-Palm Sunday, at age 32
58th
HFD
Line of Duty
Entered the Fire Department:
September 15, 2003, Class 23
Assignment: Firefighter-Fire House No. 50 “A” Shift
Buried:
Sealy Public Cemetery, Sealy, Texas, Section 17, Lot 423B, Space B
Kevin Kulow started his work day just like all “Rookies”, a bit early.
He arrived at the fire house and took off the gear of the “B” Shift
firefighter he was relieving. Soon after that, at 5:55 AM, Engine 50 was
dispatched to 7610 Kempwood Drive near Wirt Road for a truck fire involving
hazardous chemicals. However, upon arrival they discovered a fire in the El
Festival Ballroom, an after hours night club.
Civilians at the location reported that they were not sure everyone
got out of the building safely. While searching for victims the fire
intensified, the crew members were able to find their hose line and follow
it to safety. While exiting the building they realized that Kevin did not
get out with them. By that time the fire had burned through the ceiling and
roof. Kevin was unable to find his way out of the building.
During the investigation it was determined that the arsonist had
thrown several full one gallon plastic gasoline containers on to the roof.
The fire, set because of a domestic dispute, was ruled arson. Three men and
one woman were charged and convicted of the murder of Firefighter Kevin
Kulow. The ring leader, Jeremy Robinson, a career criminal, was sentenced to
life in prison without the possibility of parole. The other three received
sentences ranging from three to forty years in prison.
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