On Thursday 20-year-old McCowan received the near-maximum sentence Thursday for the shooting death of Bach. He was convicted for the murder in February 2013.
Before his sentence was handed down, McCowan refused to make a statement to the court.
"I don't think this court deserves it," he said defiantly.
McCowan offered a slight smile in the courtroom just minutes after a Porter County judge sentenced him to 60 years behind bars.
Amanda Bach's mother Sandy Bach took the stand at the sentencing hearing to describe the impact of loss of her daughter at the age of 19.
Though tears, she said, "I will not let you get the best of me Dustin, I will not. You can't even look at me, can you?"
In an unusual argument, prosecutors blamed not only Dustin McCowan but also his family. The judge revealed today an unidentified relative was heard on a prison phone telling him:
"It would be appropriate if the deputy prosecuting attorneys' children were killed so they would know what it's like."
Dustin McCowan's father Elliott McCowan is a Crown Point police officer. The sheriff's office previously said they were looking into whether he helped hide the murder weapon.
