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Dennis Hinnant, Jr., 30, of Silver Spring, was convicted earlier this year of second-degree for the death of his 28-year-old wife Taresha Pendarvis in February last year.
On Wednesday, Sept. 4, prosecutors announced that Hinnant has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, the maximum penalty permitted under Maryland law.
Hinnant walked into the Rockville City Police Station holding a baby and requested to speak to a homicide detective at approximately 12:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1 last year, officials said.
According to police, once at the station, Hinnant advised investigators that they would find the body of his dead wife in the 8800 block of Lanier Drive in Silver Spring.
"Hinnant stated he would provide information and a location of the incident in Silver Spring, but he wanted to smoke a cigarette and speak with a detective," court documents state. "Hinnant insisted he wanted to smoke a cigarette, but was advised that no one currently working had cigarettes.
"Hinnant stated if he was provided a cigarette, he would give a location of the incident ... At this point, Hinnant was not in police custody and advised he was free to leave at any time."
Prosecutors say that he gave them his wife's address, and when police responded to check on her welfare, they found (Pendarvis) in the bathtub suffering from traumatic injuries.
She had been stabbed multiple times and strangled with a belt. When interviewed, Hinnant said they had been arguing about their marriage before the murder occurred
She was pronounced dead at the scene. The baby was unharmed and taken from Hinnant when he surrendered himself to the police.
“We remain dedicated to aggressively prosecuting domestic violence in any form," Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy previously said. "(Hinnant) was appropriately found guilty of murder, and we will be seeking the maximum penalty under the law."
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