Girl, 18, Gets Long Prison Term in Death of Neighbor, 62 : Courts: The judge orders the maximum sentence. The oldest of three Northridge sisters convicted in the ’91 killing case displays no emotion.

The oldest of three teen-age Northridge sisters convicted of murder in the stabbing death of an elderly neighbor was sentenced Wednesday to the maximum prison term, 25 years to life, by a judge who said a long time behind bars was her only hope for rehabilitation.

The oldest sister, convicted two weeks ago of first-degree murder for her role in the Nov. 20, 1991, slaying of neighbor Meta Murphy, 62, displayed no emotion as Sylmar Juvenile Court Judge Morton Rochman ordered her sent to the California Youth Authority.

Murphy, who had befriended the girls, was stabbed 11 times. Police found her body buried under a pile of coats in a utility closet in her condominium, near a staircase where she was attacked.

In sustaining the murder petition--the equivalent of conviction in Juvenile Court--Rochman said two weeks ago that he had “never seen such malice, such an exhibition of lack of conscience.”

Testimony at the trial of the oldest sister indicated that her two younger sisters sneaked into Murphy’s apartment and stabbed her. The older sister remained at home next door and turned up the stereo to drown out Murphy’s screams.

Despite the maximum term of 25 years to life, state law holds that someone convicted in Juvenile Court can remain behind bars only until their 25th birthday. In the year 2000, perhaps sooner with good behavior behind bars, the oldest sister--who was 16 at the time of the crime and turned 18 Monday--will walk free.

Nonetheless, Deputy Dist. Atty. Thomas Rubinson, the prosecutor in the case, said the judge did all that was possible under the law.

“There’s no way to make the community feel good about what happened because of the loss,” Rubinson said, referring to Murphy’s death. “But I think everybody’s going to be satisfied that justice has been done.”

The 18-year-old said nothing Wednesday in her own defense.

The middle sister, now 17, also has been convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to an identical term of 25 years to life at the California Youth Authority. She also will be set free by age 25.

The youngest sister, 13, pleaded guilty in January to second-degree murder. She is due to be sentenced April 21 and faces a term of 15 years to life.

The names of the three sisters have been withheld because of their ages. In November, 1991, when Murphy was stabbed to death, the girls were 12, 15 and 16.

Murphy, a librarian at the Panorama City branch of the Los Angeles City Library, lived alone in her condominium in the 18500 block of Mayall Street.

The sisters lived next door with two brothers and their parents. Murphy often treated them to sodas or snacks after school.

Murphy’s body was found by police the day following the killing after co-workers at the library had reported her missing when she failed to show up for work.

The case had remained unsolved until June, 1992, when an acquaintance of the three girls told police she had heard the two older sisters boasting about the slaying.

The oldest sister’s case turned on the testimony of three teen-age friends who said they had heard the three sisters talking about the crime.

Testifying in her own defense near the close of her six-day trial, the oldest sister said she knew about the killing because she had seen her middle sister come home with blood on her clothes. But the older girl said she had nothing to do with the crime.