Aita Gurung was convicted and sentenced for murdering his wife, Yogeswari Khadka, and severely injured his mother-in-law, Tulasa Rimal, with a meat cleaver. (Mug shot: Burlington Police Department)
A man convicted of killing his wife and attacking his mother-in-law with a meat cleaver has been sentenced to 27 years in prison, with the rest of his 35-to-life punishment suspended in favor of probation.
According to VTDigger, at least nine jurors acknowledged that Aita Gurung, 40, experienced significant mental health problems as he killed his wife, Yogeswari Khadka, 32, and severely injured her mother, Tulasa Rimal.
But that was not enough to convince jurors he was not guilty by reason of insanity. They convicted him on Nov. 3, 2022, of first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder.
Prosecutors said Gurung acted purposefully, attacking his Khadka after she refused to get him a beer.
Gurung’s sentencing on Wednesday was marked by acknowledgment of his condition but also by the incalculable loss of Khadka, his history of physically abusing her, and the unflinching statements from the woman’s family.
Khadka and Gurung’s daughter, identified in court as S.R., described him as an absent parent.
“You were busy doing your own thing, and you didn’t seem to care about our family,” she reportedly said.
“To this day, I am deeply hurt,” she said, “It was your actions, but I have had the consequences.”
Gurung murdered Khadka at their home in Burlington, Vermont, on Oct. 12, 2017. Rimal tried to save her, prosecutors said.
“No matter what, he should get the hardest punishment,” Rimal, now disabled, reportedly said through a translator.
Prosecutors and the judge were effusive when talking about Khadka.
“Yogeswari was a brave, hardworking mother who immigrated to the United States in hopes of building a brighter future for her family,” Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark said in a statement published Wednesday. “Her voice and the voice of her mother, Tulasa, who tried to save her, deserved to be heard. We are grateful that Tulasa and members of her family were able to share with the Court the impact that these tragic acts of domestic violence had and continue to have on their lives. We also want to thank the Burlington Police Department for their assistance to the Attorney General’s Office and the jury for their thoughtfulness through a long and difficult trial.”
Remarking on a photo of Khadka, Judge John Pacht said, “When looking at this picture, I see this magnificent young woman, strong, focused, serene, dedicated.”
Gurung on Wednesday voiced regret in a personal statement and also a letter read by an attorney, saying that Khadka did not deserve to die, and Rimal did not deserve to be attacked. He reportedly told the court he was not in his “right mind” and was hearing voices when the “accident” happened.
Sentencing had been postponed because of Gurung’s deteriorating mental condition. The defense described “severe depression” and psychotic symptoms, according to Plattsburgh, Vermont, NBC affiliate WPTZ.
In a letter after convicting Gurung, nine of the 12 jurors signed a letter saying it was their unanimous opinion that Gurung’s mental illness significantly influenced the incident, according to VTDigger.
“I want all victims of domestic violence to know you are not alone,” Clark said in her statement on Wednesday. “I especially hope that this message reaches members of our community for whom English is not their first language. I want you to know that every member of our community deserves to feel safe, be heard, and know their rights and what resources are available to them. Service organizations and law enforcement agencies have interpreter services.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. This hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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