ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — A man who stabbed a bartender to death at a St. Joseph bar has been sentenced to life in prison.
The St. Joseph News-Press reports Eliseo Hernandez-Sebastian was sentenced Thursday for first-degree murder of Terra Welch-Reents, who was stabbed in February after telling Hernandez-Sebastian to leave the bar.
KQ2 reports that Welch-Reents was a mother of five.
“She was always very kind. Very, very kind. I know that she would take care of everything and really try to help,” Jeny White, Legends Sports Bar employee, told KQ2. “Sadly, I think she was just trying to help on Friday when that happened. It’s still very, very tough.”
Hernandez-Sebastian also stabbed James Cleveland, another employee of the Legend’s Sports Bar and Grill. He survived serious injuries.
Investigators said Welch-Reents wasn’t aware that Cleveland had already been stabbed when she told Hernandez-Sebastian to leave the bar.
Hernandez-Sebastian also was ordered to serve 50 years each for two convictions of armed criminal action and a life sentence for first-degree assault. The sentences will run consecutively.
Hernandez-Sebastian said in a statement before sentencing that he was innocent.