More than 44 years after a nursing student was slain in her trailer home in central Kansas, her former neighbor has been sentenced to 10 to 25 years in prison for killing her.

Because the crime happened in 1980, Hanks was sentenced under the state law in effect at that time, which called for a 5- to 25-year sentence — and not under current statute, Bellendir said. But Barton County District Judge Steve Johnson “departed” from Hanks’ plea agreement and doubled the minimum amount of time he must serve.

Authorities in Kansas announced the sentencing of a man in connection with a cold case murder of a woman who was found dead in January 1980.

A convicted rapist was sentenced to at least 10 years behind bars Thursday for the 1980 murder of his neighbor — closing the book on Kansas’ oldest cold case. Steven L. Hanks, 70, was brought to justice 44 years after gunning down Mary Robin Walter,

After 44 years, justice is served. Former neighbor convicted for the cold case murder of nursing student in Kansas.

A convicted rapist was sentenced to at least 10 years behind bars this week for the 1980 murder of his neighbour – closing the book on the US state of Kansas’ oldest cold case.