Defendant sentenced to three consecutive life terms for kidnapping, robbery and rape

District Attorney Joel Smith announced today that Delbert Keyes Jr., age 47, of Gulfport, was found guilty by a Harrison County jury of Robbery, Kidnapping, and Forcible Sexual Assault earlier today after a two day trial in Gulfport. The jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before finding Keyes guilty in all three charges. Due to the Defendant’s status as a habitual offender for prior Manslaughter and Aggravated Assault convictions in 1988, Circuit Judge Roger Clark sentenced the defendant to three Life terms to run consecutive to each other.
During trial, the 78 year-old victim testified that late in the evening on October 18, 2015, she went outside to see why her dog was barking. Once outside, she was accosted by the Defendant and forced back into her home where he robbed and raped her. “Although the Defendant fled the scene, the victim was able to quickly call first responders with the Gulfport Police Department. They were able to not only provide medical care but also preserve evidence that could be submitted for DNA testing,” said ADA Crosby Parker. Jurors later heard testimony from a DNA expert from a private lab. The expert analyst testified that the forensic exhibits collected that night, one of which was a leather jacket, were a 99% match to the DNA of the Defendant. The case was prosecuted by ADA Parker and ADA Chris Carter.
The Defendant took the witness stand on his own behalf and testified that he had gone out that night and lost his jacket. “Although the Defendant came up with this new story at trial, the evidence showed that the Defendant had given a previous statement to detectives with the Gulfport Police Department. In his prior statement, he told them he went to bed at 8:30 or 9:00 that night and never left the house. This was contradicted by another witness who said he left his home that night at 10:30 pm. The fact the Defendant lived near the victim, he left his house at the time the crime was committed, his jacket and DNA were found at the scene, and the fact he kept changing his stories led the to the jury finding his guilt,” said ADA Parker.
Before handing down his sentence, Judge Clark told the Defendant “[y]ou have been convicted of a despicable act of violence and are going to have to pay for these crimes” before telling the defendant that he will “take his last breath” while in prison. Given the nature of the crimes and the defendant’s habitual offender status, the sentences will have to be served day for day without the eligibility of probation or parole.