A rapist convicted of killing his neighbor in 1980 was sentenced Thursday to at least 10 years in prison, bringing closure to Kansas' oldest cold case.
Steven L. Hanks, 70, was on trial 44 years after he shot and killed Mary Robin Walters, 23, in her mobile home in Great Bend.
“It is unfortunate that so many of those affected by this tragic crime have passed away before the suspect can be brought to justice,” Barton County Sheriff Brian Berendir said. said in a statement on Friday..
“We were fortunate to have the resources and hardworking personnel to solve this case. We owe our success in solving this murder to the dedicated officers who had the tenacity to lead to a conviction.”
Walter was a wife, mother and nursing student when she was shot multiple times on January 24, 1980. Police found a .22 caliber handgun at the scene and confirmed it was the murder weapon.
Hanks, who was 25 at the time, was considered a suspect, but just two years into the investigation, detectives were unable to find any evidence linking him to the murders and the case went cold.
The case remained open until 2022, when a detective persuaded Berendir to reopen it using new technology and methods that were not available at the time.
Detectives questioned Hanks again, who was then serving a 10-year sentence for rape, assault, robbery and theft.
He admitted to killing Walter, but authorities never revealed a motive.
He formally pleaded guilty in August as part of a plea agreement calling for a prison sentence of not less than five years and not more than 25 years.
But a district court judge increased the minimum sentence to 10 years during Thursday's sentencing hearing.
The sheriff said he believes this is the oldest cold case in Kansas that has been resolved and resulted in a conviction.
“Robin's killer will finally be brought to justice thanks to his dedication and hard work on this cold case,” Assistant Attorney General Jessica Dome said in a statement.
