Body of murdered teenager found next to second victim in woods ten years after they were killed by same boyfriend

A DOUBLE murderer has been handed a 45-year jail sentence for the slaughter of two women after their bodies were found just metres apart.

For the murders of Jessica Runions and Kara Kopetsky, Kylr Yust received the maximum Kansas City sentence.

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The jury found Yust guilty of voluntary manslaughter in Kopetsky’s death, and second-degree murder in Runions’ death.

Yust was sentenced to the maximum Missouri sentence, which was 15 year for voluntary manslaughter or life imprisonment for second degree murder.

Yust had been convicted in April and was sentenced to prison in June.

Yust, then 18, was a Belton high school student who dated Kopetsky for nine months. They split up in April 2007.

She went to the police claiming that she was leaving her job at a fast food restaurant to go to work when Yust forced them into his car.

She said he had driven her around before eventually letting her go, saying in her statement: “I’m unsure what he will do next because the abuse had gotten worse over time.”

Yust was served with a protection order on May 1.

Three days later, Kopetsky was captured on security cameras leaving Belton High School shortly after 9 am.

She didn’t turn up for work that night and didn’t return home.

Her mother reported her missing, and a frantic search began.

Yust, when questioned, said he had spoken to Kara on the phone but claimed he didn’t know where she was.

Yust and her had phone records that show they had called each others just before she went to school.

A friend of the estranged couple told cops Yust had admitted he’d seen Kara in person but told them not to say anything because he had violated the protection order.

YUST DENIED INVOLVEMENT

Yust denied any involvement with Kopetsky’s disappearance but doubts remained with the police and her family.

Although some of Kopetsky’s possessions were found in her school locker the trail went cold and it would be several years before the authorities discovered what had happened to her.

In the intervening years, her family kept to the belief Yust was responsible, a feeling that was fuelled by Yust’s behaviour.

Over the years, Yust’s girlfriends told cops he was jealous, erratic and violent.

After making threats to his ex-partner and even biting him, Yust was placed under probation.

Yust was also charged with animal cruelty. He was given additional protection orders.

In 2013, Yust was charged with drug trafficking and sentenced to four years imprisonment.

MET RUNIONS AT PARTY

Just six days after he was released in September 2016 he met pasry chef Jessica Runions, 21, at a party in Grandview.

After leaving the party, she was seen with a man and then vanished.

Her family reported her missing, and hours later, her burned-out black Chevy Equinox was found in a remote forest area.

Later, investigators discovered that Runions had fled the party with Yust (then aged 27).

Witnesses claimed he had been drinking heavily and acting “possessively” towards Runions as well as being aggressive with others at the party.

Jessep Carter, Yust’s half-brother, came forward saying Yust had asked him to set fire to her vehicle.

Yust was burned on his body, and he was kept in custody while awaiting his trial. However, there was no evidence that Runions were hurt.

HUMAN SKULL DISCOVERED

Then, mushrooms hunters who had gone to a rural area in Cass County, Missouri, discovered a human skull seven months after Runions disappeared.

Cops searched the area for more remains and found another set that was much older than the original.

These remains were later identified as belonging Runions and Kopetsky.

Yust was also charged in October 2017 for two counts of first degree murder.

This year, he finally went before a jury and entered a plea to not guilty.

YUST PLEADS NOT GUILTY

Prosecutors claimed Yust had most likely killed both women with his bare hands before dumping their bodies in “his spot” with the motive being they had rejected him.

“When Kara tried to end her relationship with Yust because of abuse, Yust said, ‘If I can’t have her, nobody can,’” According to the prosecution,

“Yust murdered Jessica with deliberation, same as he did Kara – because no one else can have Jessica, either.”

However, the defense said that there was no evidence linking him to either murder.

In his court testimony he claimed: “I didn’t do anything to either of them.”

Witnesses though lined up to discredit him.

Yust’s 17-year-old ex-girlfriend claimed that their relationship was violent.

She claimed that Yust had been drinking and wrapped his arms around her throat in July 2011.

As he strangled her, he allegedly said, “I have killed other ex-girlfriends in jealousy. I will kill you before you can let another scream out of your throat.”

Another partner, who had suffered violence by him, had worn a wire for the FBI which recorded Yust saying that Kopetsky had refused to get in his car the day she vanished, so he’d grabbed her by the hair and forced her in.

While another claimed she had heard Yust say he’d killed Kopetsky because “she didn’t love him” and he “didn’t want anyone else to have her”.

In April this year, the jury found Yust not guilty of first-degree murder but guilty of manslaughter for Kara’s death and second-degree murder for Jessica’s death.

Kopetsky’s mom, Rhonda Beckford, expressed her disappointment that her daughter’s killer hadn’t been found guilty of first-degree murder.

“I don’t really feel that justice was served as far as Kara’s concerned,” she said, adding: ”I’m so sorry, Kara. I tried.”

Yust continues to deny his guilt.

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