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According to a report, the family of a slain 83-year-old Texas woman was awarded $7.3 billion in damages after an off-duty cable guy stabbed her to death during a robbery gone awry.

According to a report by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, an off-duty worker for Charter company Spectrum cable was the one who killed Betty Thomas.

On the next day, he returned his uniform and work van, which he used to steal Thomas. He stabbed her to death in front of her TV.

The outlet reported that the man was sentenced to life in prison.

The family of Thomas was awarded a staggering settlement by a Dallas County jury.

The jury rendered a $7 billion verdict in the punishment portion of the trial after the family had already been awarded $357 million in compensatory damages.

Spectrum is responsible for most of the damage.

Chris Hamilton, a lawyer for the family of Thomas, said in a statement that this was a shocking betrayal of faith by the company. This verdict shows the extent of the harm caused by Charter Spectrum's gross negligent behavior.

Charter said that it will appeal the verdict and that the blame lies with the person who made it.

Charter said in a statement that their hearts go out to the family of the victim. The responsibility for this horrible act rests with the man who was not on duty, and we are grateful he is in prison for life.

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The statement said that they disagreed with the verdict.

The outlet reported that Charter claimed that it was a crime that could not have been predicted.

Lawyers for the victim's family argued that the company was negligent in its hiring and supervision during the trial. The outlet reported that they argued that the company failed to regulate the use of company vehicles.

The jury heard testimony that he had complained to his supervisors about how hard it was to make ends meet after his divorce. The outlet reported that he began to cry at work.

He said that he went back to Thomas because he was hungry.

The report can be found on NY Post.com.