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Bentler Waives Right to Jury Trial

By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Dec 15, 2006 at 5:36 PM CST

Story Updated: Dec 15, 2006 at 5:37 PM CST

AP - An Illinois man accused of killing his parents and three younger sisters in southeastern Iowa has waived his right to a jury trial.

Shawn Bentler is set to stand trial on five counts of first-degree murder February 20th in Van Buren County District Court. Court documents filed today show Bentler wants a judge to decide his fate.

Bentler was arrested in October after authorities discovered his family shot to death in their home near Bonaparte. The victims include his father Michael; his mother Sandra; and his sisters Sheena, 17, Shelby, 15, and Shayne, 14.

Investigators have offered no motive for the slayings, one of the worst mass killings in Iowa history.

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