Man sentenced to life in U-District home invasion

SEATTLE — The man who terrorized a home full of University of Washington students will spend the rest of his life behind bars. 

On Friday, 35-year-old Robert Hitt entered a courtroom at the King County Jail with bandages on his wrists and forearms from a suicide attempt with a razor Friday night, authorities said.

Hitt was recently convicted of breaking into a home near the University of Washington campus – holding a knife to the throats of six students, forcing one to strip naked.

One of the victims spoke of the terror at Hitt's sentencing.

"I don't want to think of my best friends and roommates having a knife to their necks, pleading for their lives," said the victim.

While the six roommates were being hog-tied and told by Hitt that he would kill them, two other housemates in their rooms called 911.

Seattle police arrived within minutes and caught Hitt.

On Friday, Judge Jeffrey Ramsdell applauded the women.

"Despite their fears, these ladies conducted themselves calmly and bravely, which in all likelihood helped keep this situation from escalating. Furthermore, it is also clear that they were there to protect each other," Ramsey said.

Ramsey sentenced Hitt to life in prison without patrol – the only available option because of our state's "two-strikes" law for repeat sexual offenders.

Investigators said Hitt also raped another University of Washington student in 2011.

Hitt's attorneys said Hitt is mentally ill who didn't get enough support once he was released from prison, which was six weeks before the home invasion.

KIRO