Shawn was convicted of murdering his parents and 3 teenage sisters with a shotgun, allegedly to inherit the family fortune immediately all to himself.

On June 19, 2007, Shawn Bentler was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences (four for the murders of his father and sisters, one for the murder of his mother) to be served in an Iowa State Prison.

The four life sentences that are concurrent are for the murders of the three Bentler girls and Michael Bentler. The other life sentence will be served consecutively for the murder of Sandra Bentler.