James Myers has been sentenced to 28 months in prison for his role in helping cover up the murder of Iolan Shawn Cook in March 2016.
District Judge Daniel Creitz handed down the sentence March 26, noting that delaying Myers sentencing to this summer after co-defendant Joshua Knapp goes to trial to face first-degree murder charges could effectively have kept Myers in custody longer than Kansas sentencing guidelines would have allowed. Myers has been in custody about 20 months, since his arrest in July 2016.
Myers was among five defendants accused of first-degree murder in Cooks killing, before pleading no contest to four counts of interfering with law enforcement in September as part of a plea deal.
Myers admitted to helping Knapp and Amanda Boeken clean blood out of his truck after Knapp and Boeken reportedly used it to dump Cooks body. Myers also admitted helping Knapp and Boeken burn their soiled clothes.
AS PART of the sentencing, Myers attorney, Brian Duncan, read a written statement detailing his clients actions the night of Cooks killing on March 13, 2016. Myers, who has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, was unable to speak at the hearing.
Myers statement noted he originally loaned his truck to Knapp because he had been told Knapps vehicle had broken down and he needed to transport a group of passengers back to town.
Myers agreed, and even offered Knapp a sheet of plastic. It was wet out, Myers statement read. So I just assumed he needed it to get under the other vehicle.
When Knapp returned with the truck, Myers recalled seeing something beneath the plastic.
Knapp, he claimed, told him it was a body.
I didnt know what to say, so I told him he had two choices: to either finish what he had started, or take him to the hospital, Myers statement read. I wanted to take him to the hospital. In fact, I almost jumped into the truck to do it myself.
Myers said he relented because doing so would have left his mother alone at home, potentially with Knapp.
Knapp left and returned later without the body, Myers said, but with blood still visible in his truck bed.
I called Knapp and told him to get it out of my truck, Myers said. I didnt want no part of this. It didnt really hit me that this was really happening until I saw all that blood.
Myers then took Knapp in the truck to a local car wash, where they cleaned the excess blood from his pickup.
Myers said he received another call from Knapp the following morning, indicating Knapp and Boeken needed another ride.
My mother is at home a lot alone and I didnt want him taking it out on her if I refused, Myers said. I didnt know what he was capable of.
When Myers went to pick up Knapp and Boeken, Knapp tossed a bag in the back of Myers truck.
