Kokomo — Even though Michael Yates was not one of the shooters in the April 5, 2008, double shooting that killed Abby Rethlake and injured her friend Morgan Vetter, he was sentenced the same as if he had pulled the trigger.

Howard Superior Court 1 Judge William Menges cited Yates’ criminal history and his violent characteristics as aggravating circumstances in sentencing him to 165 years in prison — the same sentence he gave one of the convicted shooters, Jesse Harris, 27.

Last month, a jury convicted Yates, 27, of aiding, inducing or causing murder; conspiracy to commit murder; two counts of aiding, inducing or causing attempted murder; and aiding, inducing or causing aggravated battery in the killing.

Evidence in the trial showed Yates drove the car carrying Chicago residents Harris and Launden Luckett, the two men who police say shot Rethlake and Vetter.

“One witness in a prior robbery trial testified Yates threatened him, which says something about his character,” Menges said before handing down the lengthy sentence.

Along with being on parole when the shooting happened, Yates is serving a 20-year prison sentence for a robbery he committed the day before at Gateway Gardens, which spurred the April 5 shooting. Yates also has gun charges and a jury tampering case pending.

Yates’ court-appointed attorney, Rodney Shrock, did not call any witnesses at the sentencing hearing and asked the judge to sentence Yates to the presumptive term on each of the five counts. He asked that the sentences run together, for a total of 55 years.

Shrock said Yates was the least culpable of the three men in the car.

Menges disagreed.

“That doesn’t differentiate him from the other defendants,” Menges said of Yates driving the car. “As the driver, he could have easily said no and stopped the car.”

Menges added on 30 days in jail for contempt of court after Yates cursed while answering Menges about filing an appeal.

Yates refused to testify, but did have a few words for Menges and his court-appointed attorney before he was led away in handcuffs.

“I feel you are a biased judge,” Yates said after requesting a court-appointed attorney to represent him in his appeal.

“This whole thing is a set-up.”

Yates also said Shrock did not represent him properly and requested a different attorney for his appeal.

Deputies then escorted Yates from the courtroom after he continued to question the police, the judge and the criminal justice system as a whole.

Howard County Prosecutor James Fleming did not call any witnesses during the sentencing hearing, but urged the judge to sentence Yates to the 165 years, as recommended by the Howard County Probation Department.

“He’s the most cruel and calculating criminal I’ve dealt with and I’ve dealt with a lot of criminals,” Fleming said after the sentencing.

The families of Rethlake and Vetter declined to testify during the hearing, but thanked the Kokomo police detectives who investigated the case and the community for the support they’ve received throughout the case.

“We would like thank the entire community for all the tremendous support we have received through love and prayers,” said Abby’s mother, Kathy Rethlake.

“I just thank God for giving me and our families the strength to get through this,” said Mike Vetter, Morgan Vetter’s father.

The case

Throughout the trial, Fleming said the trio targeted Mark Matthews, a former Detroit resident, in retaliation for a robbery the night before at Gateway Gardens.

The night of the shooting, Rethlake picked up Matthews at Little Daddy’s Strip Club and drove him and Vetter to an eastside apartment complex. Yates, Harris and Luckett followed Rethlake to the apartment complex, where they opened fire on the vehicle, killing Rethlake and wounding Vetter, Luckett testified.

Luckett also testified that Yates drove the car.

“Neither Abby Rethlake nor Morgan Vetter did anything that night to bring the horrible events on themselves,” Fleming said. “They were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

In exchange for his testimony, Luckett is expected to get a plea bargain, which would have him plead guilty to aggravated battery and be sentenced to 15 years in prison.

A jury convicted Harris of murdering Rethlake and conspiring to kill Vetter and Matthews.

A fourth person charged in the case, Reggie Balentine, 33, pleaded guilty to C felony charge of assisting a criminal. He could receive up to eight years in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 15.

Balentine owned an interest in a local body shop and helped repair damage to a vehicle after the shooting.

• Mike Fletcher is the Kokomo Tribune crime reporter. He can be reached at 765-454-8565 or mike.fletcher@kokomotribune.com.