Edition: U.S. / Global

METRO DATELINE; Maximum Sentence In Woman's Murder

Published: August 15, 1987

The son of a former New York City police detective was sentenced yesterday to 25 years to life in prison for murder despite a letter from the victim's mother saying she believes the man is innocent.

Terrence Murnane, 25 years old, of Somers, N.Y., was convicted in July in the slaying, last October, of Marjorie Myers-Lodes, 25.

Her husband of five months, Harry Lodes, found the woman's body. She had been strangled and stabbed 40 times.

Key evidence in the case included the defendant's bloody size 15 sneaker print and a Yonkers Raceway baseball cap found in the woman's bedroom. Mr. Murnane's father works as a security guard at the racetrack.

Throughout the trial, Mr. Murnane's attorney, Richard Ross, cast suspicion on the slain woman's husband, citing his debts and the fact that he was the beneficiary of his wife's insurance policy.

The husband's alibi was also questioned. Mr. Lodes testified during the trial that he was with friends at a gay bar when his wife was killed. But Mr. Ross said Mr. Lodes had enough time to return home, kill his wife and return to the bar.

Before Mr. Murnane's sentencing Mr. Ross read parts of a letter written by the victim's mother, a Methodist minister in Norwalk, Conn., who called him ''another victim in this case.''

Mr. Murnane has past criminal convictions on robbery and assault charges.(AP)