One of the three suspects was sentenced Monday on charges of killing a St. Joseph man and dumping his body into the Third Fork of the Platte River.

Kelli Hoard, 44, of Elwood, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of second degree murder in connection with the death of Richard Berry. It was part of a plea bargain offered by the Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Judge Patrick Robb ordered Ms. Hoard to serve 20 years in prison.

A co-defendant, Sean Liechti of St. Joseph, is serving a ten-year prison term for his guilty plea. The third co-defendant, Primalton Peterson, did not except the plea offer, and is scheduled for trial next year on charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and abandonment of a corpse.

Investigators say the trio stabbed the victim repeatedly after a failed robbery last April, and then dumped his body in the river.