KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Convicted killer Kylr Yust has filed his first appeal for his Cass County murder conviction with the Missouri Court of Appeals, western district.
In April, a jury found Yust guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Kara Kopetsky and second-degree murder in the death of Jessica Runions.
His appeal was not unexpected.
Yust maintained his innocence throughout the murder trial, even casting blame on his deceased half-brother, Jessep Carter, when he took the witness stand.
His defense team also filed a motion for a new trial following his conviction, which was denied.
Wednesday's filing also revealed the State of Missouri will incur costs related to his appeal as he had a public defender.
PODCAST SERIES | Journey for Justice: The trial of Kylr Yust
The jury recommended the maximum sentences for each crime, which the judge accepted at Yust's sentencing hearing on June 7.
Yust will serve 15 years for Kopetsky's death, and life imprisonment for Runions' murder.
In Missouri, life imprisonment is capped at 30 years with eligibility for parole after 85% of the sentence has been served.
The sentences are to be served consecutively, one after another.
The appeal represents yet another step in what's already been a long journey to justice for the Kopetsky and Runions families.
After his sentencing, they took time to acknowledge the grim victory and thank the community for their support.
Post-sentencing, Yust was transferred to a Missouri Department of Corrections facility in St. Joseph, where he currently resides.
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41 Action News is committed to bringing you complete coverage of the trial of Kylr Yust, the man accused in the murders of Kara Kopetsky and Jessica Runions. Visit kshb.com/yusttrial for all our stories, case details, timeline and more.
