Friday, April 6, 2012

Springfield, MO: Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Stabbing Springfield Man to Death

(Springfield, MO) -- An Illinois woman charged with murder now admits to the crime.

Sharon Lacanski-Shimkus, 46, pleaded guilty to 2nd Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action in the death of Jeffrey L. Chambers in June 2010.

Chambers, 45, was found dead inside a house at 721 South Park; Lacanski was also found in the house, unconscious, police told KOLR/KOZL. Lacanski was taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries.

According to court documents (attached below), Chambers' sister went to his house May 1, 2010 after not hearing from him. When she went inside, she found Chambers dead on the bedroom floor and Lacanski-Shimkus unconscious and also lying on the floor.

Investigators say they found a bloody folding knife under Lacanski-Shimkus when they lifted her to take her to the hospital.

An autopsy found Chambers died of several puncture wounds to the chest.

According to Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson, Lacanski and Chambers had an on again off again relationship with a history of abuse.

Lacanski was sentenced to the Department of Corrections in accordance with a plea agreement to 15 years for murder and five years for Armed Criminal Action. The sentences will run concurrently.

She'll be required to serve 85 percent of the sentence before she's eligible for parole.

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