SEDALIA, Mo. (AP) — A 29-year-old man has been convicted in the stabbing death of a woman in a Sedalia apartment.
Pettis County jurors found Justin Lewis, of Lincoln, guilty Tuesday of second-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon in the January 2018 death of 33-year-old Heather McClellan.
Sedalia police Officer Bradley Arnold says he found McClellan lying on the floor in a blood-soaked shirt, gasping for air when he responded. Emergency crews took her to a hospital where she died. Court documents say she had eight stab wounds and a slit throat.
The prosecution’s case focused on witness testimony and DNA evidence found on Lewis’ shoes. The defense said law enforcement conducted a “lazy, sloppy investigation.”
Sentencing is set for June 18.