RUSSELL, Ky. - Two Ohio men could each receive life in prison in connection with the July 14 rape, robbery and assault of a store manager at the Superstar Video in Russell.

William Ryan Dixon, 20, of Franklin Furnace, and Wayne C. Murphy, 30, of Ironton were initially charged with attempted murder.

However, the Greenup County Grand Jury returned indictments Friday for first degree robbery, a class B felony carrying a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison; first degree assault,

a class B felony carrying a sentence of 10 to 20 years; and first degree rape with serious physical injury, a class A felony carrying a sentence of 20 years to life in prison.

The two men are accused of entering the video store and attacking the

the store manager with a hammer during the robbery that also included rape.

Russell Police investigators called the Superstar crime scene one of the most gruesome they had ever seen.

Greenup County Commonwealth Attorney Cliff Duvall said attempted murder was the original charge because it was unknown at that time if the victim would live.

The victim, whose name has not been disclosed, was hospitalized at King's Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, Ky., and later released.

Duvall said the assault and robbery charges carry the same sentence as attempted murder but are actually easier to prove.

"This way we do not have to prove intent like you would with attempted murder," he said. "We just have to prove they used a weapon, in this case a hammer, to cause serious physical injury."

The attorney said he expects the men could enter a plea soon and that a pretrial conference would be set within the next three or four weeks.

A trial date would be set at that time.

Murphy and Dixon are still incarcerated in the Greenup County Jail.

Both men could also be indicted on similar charges in connection with the July 5 assault and robbery at the Blanton and Graff Market in Franklin Furnace in which a store clerk was beaten and robbed.

Dixon has admitted to being involved in the Franklin Furnace robbery and confessed to the video store assault and another case in South Webster, according to the Scioto County Sheriff's Office.

Dixon could also be charged for this third incident where he allegedly beat a South Webster man across the arm and head with a frying pan.