Emilio Canales

A Dalton, Ga., man was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty today to multiple counts of murder, aggravated assault and weapons charges in the 2012 killings of his father and brother and shooting of his mother.

Emilio Christopher Canales, 28, of 1011 Dude St. in Dalton, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder, three counts of aggravated assault, three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to a news release from Conasauga District Attorney Bert Poston.

Superior Court Judge William T. Boyett sentenced Canales to life in prison without possibility of parole in the deaths of his father and brother, 20 years on each of the aggravated assault counts and five years on each of the weapons charges, the release states.

Boyett set a hearing for Aug. 2 to hear aggravating and mitigating evidence seeking to make changes in the sentence. That information will be presented by either the defense or the prosecution.

Canales was arrested April 29, 2012, after his wounded mother, Deborah Canales, fled to a neighbor's home to call for help. Emilio Canales Sr. and Francisco Canales were found dead inside the home.

For complete details, see tomorrow's Chattanooga Times Free Press.