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Kayla Nelson, the Clark County woman who last summer shot her boyfriend, Dominic Whitaker, was sentenced late Friday to a total of 31 years in prison.
Nelsonls daughters watched as Nelsho shot their father, Whiaker, twice in the back, burned his body and dumped it near her home.
A two-day sentencing hearing wrapped up at 5 p.m. Friday, and Circuit Judge Robert McCallum made his decision a little over an hour after prosecutors gave their closing comments.
Calling the July 4, 2010, murder a "tragedy of great proportions," McCallum provided his reasoning behind his decision, considering both mitigating and aggravating factors from the defense and prosecutors, respectively.
McCallum sentenced Nelson the maximum six years for the abuse of a corpse charge. Citing his belief that Nelson was in an abusive relationship, sentenced her to 25 years for the first degree murder charge.
Nelson's attorney, Little Rock-based Dana Reece, had requested the minimum 10-year sentence.
"We requested less time and hoped for less, but the judge made the decision he thought was fair, and we have to accept that," she later said outside the courtroom.
Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Blake Batson said after the hearing, "That was the judge's decision, and I'm not going to question his decision. This is our system, and we presented the case that we had. My role was to present the case, and we did that, and she's convicted of first degree murder and abuse of a corpse. We did our part in bringing the case to a conclusion."
Mary Whitaker, the mother of Dominic, said after the hearing, "I believe in the justice system. Everybody worked for the greatest good in the justice of my son." Asked if she felt justice had been served, she said, "I believe so. When it's all said and done, it's in God's hands."
Kayla Nelson, the Clark County woman who last summer shot her boyfriend, Dominic Whitaker, was sentenced late Friday to a total of 31 years in prison.
Nelsonls daughters watched as Nelsho shot their father, Whiaker, twice in the back, burned his body and dumped it near her home.
A two-day sentencing hearing wrapped up at 5 p.m. Friday, and Circuit Judge Robert McCallum made his decision a little over an hour after prosecutors gave their closing comments.
Calling the July 4, 2010, murder a "tragedy of great proportions," McCallum provided his reasoning behind his decision, considering both mitigating and aggravating factors from the defense and prosecutors, respectively.
McCallum sentenced Nelson the maximum six years for the abuse of a corpse charge. Citing his belief that Nelson was in an abusive relationship, sentenced her to 25 years for the first degree murder charge.
Nelson's attorney, Little Rock-based Dana Reece, had requested the minimum 10-year sentence.
"We requested less time and hoped for less, but the judge made the decision he thought was fair, and we have to accept that," she later said outside the courtroom.
Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Blake Batson said after the hearing, "That was the judge's decision, and I'm not going to question his decision. This is our system, and we presented the case that we had. My role was to present the case, and we did that, and she's convicted of first degree murder and abuse of a corpse. We did our part in bringing the case to a conclusion."
Mary Whitaker, the mother of Dominic, said after the hearing, "I believe in the justice system. Everybody worked for the greatest good in the justice of my son." Asked if she felt justice had been served, she said, "I believe so. When it's all said and done, it's in God's hands."
