GUILTY MO - Kara Kopetsky, 17 in 2007; Jessica Runions, 21 in 2016; found deceased - *ARREST* #2

[Jewels53]

It could certainly be worse. That’s about all I can say. I hope for peace for Kara’s and Jessica’s families. This road was far too long.

IMO.

Yes it could have had a much worse outcome. I also hope for peace for both family's. It was probably difficult on Kara's case being it has been 14 yrs and a lot more could have been done to preserve evidence.

 

[Dre]

Appears that the sentence for 2nd degree murder is between 10-30 years or life in prison without the possibility of parole:

https://www.howardhaake.com/post/missouri-first-and-second-degree-murder
https://www.howardhaake.com/post/missouri-first-and-second-degree-murder
Missouri Second-Degree Murder

I heard reporters saying 5-15 for manslaughter, 10-20 for 2nd degree, so 35 years total, max.
lets hope that's wrong and they sentence him to the 30 years for 2nd degree, then he'd be 77 when released.

 

[Scout87]

It could certainly be worse. That’s about all I can say. I hope for peace for Kara’s and Jessica’s families. This road was far too long.

IMO.

It definitely could be worse. He got away with Kara's murder for ten years and he genuinely thought he could get away with Jessica's as well. Thank God the jury found him guilty.

This day has been a long time coming. Justice may not look like what we hoped it would, but it's still justice regardless.

 

[Jewels53]

HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — A jury has found Kylr Yust guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Kara Kopetsky and second-degree murder in the death of Jessica Runions on Thursday.

After deliberating for hours and asking to review several pieces of evidence, the jury came back with the decision Thursday evening.

Kylr Yust found guilty in deaths of Kara Kopetsky, Jessica Runions

This has a video of the verdict being read.

 

[Scout87]

I heard reporters saying 5-15 for manslaughter, 10-20 for 2nd degree, so 35 years total, max.
lets hope that's wrong and they sentence him to the 30 years for 2nd degree, then he'd be 77 when released.

It makes my stomach turn to think that he could receive the minimum sentence for both girls.

 

[Niner]

Friday, April 16th:
*Sentencing Hearing (Day 10) (@ 8:30am CT) – MO – Kara Elise Kopetsky (17) (last seen at Belton High, May 4, 2007, Belton; found by a mushroom hunter in rural Cass County near East 223rd & State Route Y on April 3, 2017) & Jessica S. Runions (21) (missing Sept. 8, 2016, Raymore; her car was found burned near Bannister & Blue River Rds. on Sept. 10, 2016. Found by mushroom hunters in rural Cass County near East 223rd & State Route Y on April 4, 2017) – *Kylr Charles Yust (18 in 2007/29/now 32) indicted (3/1/18) & arraigned (6/18/18) on 2 counts of 1st degree & 2 counts of abandonment of a corpse. Plead not guilty. $1M cash only bond. Originally charged with felony arson for burning Jessica’s car was dismissed on 10/5/17. Charges of 2 counts of abandonment of a corpse-dismissed on 3/4/21).
Trial began 4/5/21. Jury Selection started on 3/29/21 & ended on 3/31/21. Court will be held on Saturdays also. Held in Cass County & jurors from St. Charles County. Jurors will be sequestered throughout the trial (expected to last 3 weeks). Jury: 12 jurors & 3 alternates (12 women & 3 men). One alternate was released on 4/5/21. State rested their case on 4/10/21 & had 53 witnesses. Defense rested their case on 4/14/21 & had 28 witnesses.
Jury deliberations: 4/14/21: 6:15pm to 10pm (~ 3 hours & 45 mins). 4/15/21: 8am to 7:30pm (~10 hours & 30 mins.) Total deliberations: 14 hours & 15 mins.
Court info from 3/1/18 thru 3/11/21 & jury selection (3/31/21) & Day 1 thru Day 9 of trial (4/5 – 4/14/21) reference post #288 here:
VERDICT WATCH - MO - Kara Kopetsky, 17 in 2007; Jessica Runions, 21 in 2016; found deceased - *ARREST* #2
4/15/21 Thursday, Day 2 of Verdict Watch: Jury started deliberations ~8am & ended about 7:30pm. Jury asked for & received some exhibits to take a further look at. About 3pm - The jury asks for a report on Crystal & Jessep’s phone. They also asked for a map drawing Cass & Jackson County lines. They were given the report, but not the map. They were told to use their collective memories. About 4:15pm - Jury says they do not feel qualified to make a decision on Count 2 (Runions) instruction 19 without seeing map of Cass/Jackson county line. This specifically deals with Yust being present in Cass Co. from 11:42pm to 6am from Sept. 8, 2016-Sept. 9, 2016; the time Jessica went missing. There are multiple instructions. This one instruction, 19, says if the jury finds that Yust was in Cass County between those time frames, they should find him guilty. A map from the State of Missouri was given to jurors outlining county lines. About 7:45pm - Have Verdict: Yust has been found guilty of voluntary manslaughter of Kara Kopetsky & guilty of 2nd degree murder in the death of Jessica Runions. Sentencing will be tomorrow, 4/16/21 by jury at 8:30am.

 

[skibaboo]

Sending all my love to Kara's and Jessica's families and loved ones. It's been such a long time for Kara's family, that this day has finally come. KY, you do not deserve another day of freedom in this life, I hope the judge does the right thing. Lock him up for life!

 

[Vail]

Let's hope they give him life for Jessica. That is all I can say right now. Back when I've collected my thoughts.

My love goes out to all who knew Kara and Jessica. Thank you to the jury who convicted him.

 

[Vail]

@MattFlenerKMBC
·
28m


YUST TRIAL DAY 11: Sentencing begins at 8:30. Follow
@MattEvansKMBC
for the first developments early this morning. I will join in progress.

 

[Jewels53]

2 minutes agoApril 16, 2021

Sherae Honeycutt


Ben Butler addresses the jury.

“We move from the mind to the heart, where you will hear the impact of the heart.”

The mothers, the fathers, and the brothers and the sisters. After you hear from them — we'll do the whole thing again because there were two hearts that were stopped and two families that were wrecked.

He tells them they have the responsibility to sentence Yust because of their deaths.

 

[Jewels53]

a few seconds agoApril 16, 2021

Sherae Honeycutt


Matt Vigil speaks to the jury.

The last two weeks we've heard about one side of Kylr Yust. Now they get to tell us more about Kylr. Absent parents, raised by grandparents, artist, musician, goofball, comic book lover.

They get to take that into consideration when they decide the punishment. They have the ability to choose the level of sentencing.

We will hear from friends and neighbors from him growing up.

There's no way to fill the holes in the families, but all they are asking is to hear about the Kylr he knows.

The cat lover. His cat Batman.

Consider all of it, who he is, along with what you convicted him of doing.

Take into consideration all of the factors in this case.

 

[Jewels53]

a few seconds agoApril 16, 2021

Sherae Honeycutt


Rhonda Beckford takes the stand.

Kara was her daughter who was taken from her when she was 17.

She was a carefree, loving, loyal person. Loyal to friends and family. Would have done anything for anyone.

It ripped our whole life, our family apart. It started a ten year nightmare.

She and her ex got married and he was in the army. Kara was born in Germany. The marriage didn't work out, and Kara wished they would get back together, but it never happened.

She was a single parent for a long time, and then met her husband Jim Beckford.

She was a junior the year she died.

Kara skipped a lot of classes, but she was making changes, and was going to take summer school so she could graduate. She was excited about going on a canoe trip and going to the lake. She loved to ski and tube. She was an outdoor person.

 

[Jewels53]

a few seconds agoApril 16, 2021

Sherae Honeycutt


She was planning on going to school to be a radiology technician, and go into the medical field. She was driven and had places she wanted to go in her life.

Butler asks her about the impact of the 10 years waiting for answers. She says it's like staying in one place, you can't move on until you know what happened to your daughter, your first born. Your life stops.

 

[Jewels53]

a few seconds agoApril 16, 2021

Sherae Honeycutt


She never gave up hope Kara would be found. She relied on her faith. The day she was found was an answer to a ten year prayer.

There were so many false hopes, and other people who were found, that didn't turn out to be Kara. It was an emotional rollercoaster. If you allow yourself to go to a dark place she couldn't do what she needed to do to keep going try to find her daughter.

She says justice for Kara hasn't been served in this trial.

The defense objects.

 

[Jewels53]

a few seconds agoApril 16, 2021

Sherae Honeycutt


She says hearing the evidence has been hard to listen to all the people who waited to come forward with confessions. It made her feel like so many people instead of coming forward wronged Kara when they could have come forward. They did it out of fear.

She has a letter to read to the jury.

 

[Jewels53]

a few seconds agoApril 16, 2021

Sherae Honeycutt


She says Kara always forgave people.

Her mother was close to Kara, and hoped she would see this happen. Her mother died on March 3 of breast cancer and is together with Kara. She's glad they are together, and didn't have to be here to see what happened. That justice was not served.

She talks about her brother. A 22 year old who should have a 30 year old sister with neices and nephews, and that will never happen. After she and her husband are gone he won't have family. The world is darker without Kara in it.

“She was such a bright shining light that was way too early and I asked the jury to please give the maximum sentence.”

The defense objects.

 

[Jewels53]

a few seconds agoApril 16, 2021

Sherae Honeycutt


She believes he will do it again if given the chance.

“I'm so sorry, Kara. I tried.”

Butler asks her to look at images of pictures of Kara as a girl.

Now a photo of Christmas of 1998. She got a Winnie the Pooh purse, and all the Spice Girls dolls.

A photo of Kara when she was 10 with her baby brother. They are sitting on a tractor her father restored.

Beckford, her husband, and Kara playing around at the lake.

A family photo when she was about 12.

A photo of Kara with huge sunglasses showing her humor.

Kara in a white puffy jacket smiling. She was in her friend's basement enjoying herself. A big bright smile.

A photo of Kara in a purple tank top and cowboy hat at their lakehouse.

Rhonda, Jamie, and Jim at the recovery site embracing one another in anguish.

 

[Jewels53]

a few seconds agoApril 16, 2021

Sherae Honeycutt


The state calls Mike Kopetsky.

Kara's father. She was his only child. He always felt his family tree would never end with her. She would communicate with her dad. She would tell him good and bad things. He's proud of the relationship they had together.

He didn't understand how precious those moments were until she was gone.

He didn't know what to believe when she was gone. His emotions went crazy off what could have happened.

He became very depressed and had to change how he looked at the world for his own health. He tried to focus on the joy she brought him, and how he would carry that in his life.

She would walk up to someone and say “you could be my friend.”

He didn't live close by, but he held onto the moments when people saw him and told him about Kara.

He was happy they found her so they could begin the healing process.

She's my everlasting life. When I think about her she reminds me of who I am, and that's the greatest thing to me.

He begins to get emotional, and steps down.

 

[Vail]

@MattEvansKMBC
17m
"To be technical, I don't really feel that justice was served as far as Kara's concerned," her mother Rhonda Beckford said on the stand. This was in reference to Butler asking about the trial. Butler approaches the bench and rephrases his question.

@EmilyRittman
·
13m


Rhonda ended reading her letter by saying, "I am so sorry Kara. I tried.” She is showing jurors photos of Kara. The first photo was from Christmas time in 1998. Kara got a Winnie the Pooh purse and Spice Girl dolls

((this is so heartbreaking!!!)

 

[Vail]

I hope Kylr pees his pants listening to this