From Cold Case to Conviction: Hanks Admits to Walter’s 1980 Murder After 42 Years

Steven L. Hanks, 70, has been sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for the 1980 murder of his neighbor, Mary Robin Walter, marking the resolution of Kansas’ oldest cold case.

Walter, 23, was shot multiple times in her Great Bend trailer home on January 24, 1980. Despite early suspicions surrounding Hanks, the case went cold until 2022 when new forensic techniques led to its reopening. Hanks, already serving time for other crimes, confessed to the murder. He was sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison, surpassing the initial plea agreement’s minimum of five years.

Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir praised the dedication of the officers who solved the case, while Associate Deputy Attorney General Jessica Domme highlighted the commitment to bringing justice for Walter.

 

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