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Man Convicted Of Queer Atlanta Woman's Gruesome Rape And Murder Given Four Life Sentences

“This was [an] unspeakable crime and he deserves nothing less than to spend the rest of his life in prison.”

A man accused of the brutal assault and murder of an Atlanta LGBT activist was found guilty this week.

Donte Lamar Wyatt broke into the home of 37-year-old Catherine Montoya in April 2015, strangling her with a scarf, raping her and ultimately taking her life.

The jury found him guilty after just half-an-hour of deliberation. West was given four life sentences, plus an additional 41 years in prison.

“This was a horrific, unspeakable crime, and he deserves nothing less than to spend the rest of his life in prison,” said District Attorney Robert James. “We want to assure them that he will never, ever be able to do this to anyone else.”

The murderous spree began with West stabbing his wife in Henry County, then driving to East Atlanta and attacking Montoya.

After killing her, he stole Montoya's car, crashed it and broke into another house. Police were finally able to apprehend him after a four-hour standoff that included tear gas. (While incarcerated, West also reportedly strangled his cellmate and scraped out his eyeballs.)

A spokesperson from Seeds of Love, a local LGBT group, called Montoya "a shining star in our movement, a tireless champion for immigrant rights, for AAPI women’s rights, for racial and LGBTQ justice.”

“She spoke truth to power with a smile and laughter," they added, "and lovingly challenged us all to be our better selves.”

She is survived by her wife, Meredith.

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