https://www.kmbc.com/article/the-tri...nions/36649899Judge sentences convicted murderer Kylr Yust to 15-years for death of Kara Kopetsky, life for Jessica Runions
Defense?s request for a new trial was also denied by Judge William Collins
HARRISONVILLE, Mo. ?
Convicted murderer Kylr Yust has been sentenced by a Cass County judge to 15 years in prison and life in prison for the deaths of Kara Kopetsky and Jessica Runions.
Yust was sentenced Monday afternoon at the Cass County Courthouse for the deaths of Kopetsky and Runions ? two women who disappeared about a decade apart. Their remains were found together in the same wooded area of Cass County in 2017.
A jury found Yust guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Kopetsky and second-degree murder in the death of Runions in April.
At that time, jurors recommended the maximum sentence for both convictions ? 15 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter and life in prison, which is capped at 30 years in Missouri, for the second-degree murder conviction.
Judge William Collins said Yust will serve 15 years in prison for the death of Kopetsky and life in prison for the death of Runions.
Collins said the sentences will be served consecutively, or back to back, which means Yust will serve 45 years in prison for the murders.
Prosecutor Julie Tolle made a passionate plea in front of Judge Collins: "The manipulation ends today. It ends today. Kylr Yust deserves every minute of every day in the department of corrections.?
Yust's attorneys have said they will appeal.
The families of Runions and Kopetsky reacted after Yust's sentencing. They said it was always about bringing the girls home after losing them too soon.
"We won. They won. Kara and Jessica won. They're with us now," said Jim Beckford, Kara Kopetsky's stepfather.
I know this is something, but 15 years for Kara??? Ugh.
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