SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Republic man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for killing an 80-year-old woman who was trying to help him after the ran away from home.
Trystan Westrip, 22, was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Mary Shisler near Strafford in October 2016.
Westrip, who was 16 at the time, had run away from home and stopped at Shisler's home to steal her truck, prosecutors said.
A probable cause statement said Shisler offered to help Westrip get gasoline for his vehicle and let him borrow her phone, the Springfield News-Leader reported.
Westrip told investigators that he stabbed Shisler as they walked to a neighbor's to get help, according to the statement, before stabbing her about seven more times and leaving her in a field.
Westrip then stole several items and tried to start Shisler's home on fire. He was stopped in Shisler's truck a few hours later.
Westrip was also sentenced to 10 years for armed criminal action, seven years for tampering with a motor vehicle and four years for attempted arson. The sentences will run concurrently.