Jeffrey
Moreland, a former Grandview police officer, was sentenced Monday to life in
prison without parole for the murder of Cara Jo Roberts five years ago.
Moreland
had been convicted of first-degree murder in September for breaking into
Roberts’ home in Harrisonville, sexually assaulting her, forcing her into a
full bathtub and shooting her in the back of the head.
She was
married with a toddler son.
Prior
to sentencing, Roberts’ mother, Theresa Matthews, referred to Moreland as an
“animal” and asked Cass County Circuit Judge Michael Wagner to also impose an
additional jury-recommended 50 years for armed criminal action.
Several
times during her statement, Matthews made eye contact with Moreland.
“He did
not shy away,” Matthews would say later. “He knew what he had done.”
Before
the sentencing, the judge asked Moreland, 54, if he had anything to say on his
behalf.
Moreland
answered: “No, sir.”
Moreland’s
elderly parents were in the courtroom, as they were during the entire trial.
Wagner
then imposed the only sentence available for the murder charge— the remainder
of his life spent in prison with no prospect of release. He also sentenced
Moreland to the 50 years on the second count.
For
nearly three years, Moreland was the “unknown man” in Roberts’ murder.
Investigators had DNA and the fingerprint but no one to match them to. That
changed in 2011 when Moreland became a suspect in the murder of 75-year-old
Nina Whitney, who was strangled and stabbed in her home.
Moreland
is charged in Jackson County and awaiting trial in that case. Before that,
however, he still must face a rape charge in Cass County.
In
September, a jury of seven men and five women needed only an hour and 20
minutes to find Moreland guilty of killing Roberts.