Billy Craig sentencing in local murder case set for Friday
Craig, Jr.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — 52-year-old Billy J. Craig Jr., who entered a “no contest” plea and was found guilty of “conspiracy to commit first-degree murder” is scheduled for sentencing on Friday.
In return for Craig’s plea, the state agreed to dismiss all other charges pending in the murder case, dismiss two pending cases against him, one involving distribution of drugs and the other, a financial fraud crime. They also recommended that a pending contempt of court allegation be dismissed.
The conviction is in connection to the murder of Jennifer Heckel on June 14, 2011.
Craig was found guilty of conspiring with Charles Christopher Logsdon to rob and kill another woman over drugs and money and went to the wrong house when they killed Heckel while her young son was in the next room.
Logsdon was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder and other related charges and received a 73-year sentence. His case is currently on appeal.
Sentencing is set for 1:30 p.m., in front of Judge Tim Chambers. The state is expected to recommend the maximum which come to around 15 years in prison.
Topeka man who escaped from HCF scheduled for sentencing
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The 45-year-old Topeka man who entered a plea in the case where he escaped from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility is scheduled again for sentencing Friday afternoon after it was continued the last time it was scheduled.
Mark Lucas has been serving time for multiple burglaries and thefts out of Shawnee County and entered the plea to “aggravated escape from custody” for walking away from Hutchinson Correctional Facility back on Aug. 3, 2013. He was captured a few days later in Topeka.
He was found missing during an informal count that was being conducted at the south unit of Hutchinson Correctional Facility which houses minimum custody inmates. Lucas claimed at his preliminary hearing that he walked away because his daughter was suicidal and he was trying to help her.
He faces a potential sentence of just over 11 years in prison which would run consecutive to the sentence he’s currently serving.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Friday afternoon in front of Judge Trish Rose.
Two arrested on drug charges waive preliminary hearings
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two people arrested after a search warrant was served on a Hutchinson home waived their preliminary hearings Thursday and both entered “not guilty” pleas. .
Bryan Buckwalter and Mandy Franklin are suspected of being in possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a school and possession of drug paraphernalia. The arrest happened after DEU agents served a search warrant at the couple’s home in the 1000 block of East 13th, where they reported finding meth, owe sheets, scales and other paraphernalia.
Both cases now move to Judge Tim Chambers court for possible trials.