INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Teresa Stone had an affair with her church pastor, who then killed her husband. Now she is heading to prison for her role in her husband’s murder.
Stone was sentenced to eight years behind bars after she pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to commit murder in connection to the March, 2010, shooting death of her husband, Independence insurance agent Randy Stone, in his Noland Road office.
Last year, Stone’s lover – New Hope Baptist Church Pastor David Love – pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Love had delivered the eulogy at Randy Stone’s funeral, then moved South Carolina to become a truck driver. Authorities in South Carolina arrested him in connection to Randy Stone’s murder in November of 2010.
During Teresa Stone’s sentencing hearing on Friday, detectives read a torn-up love letter found in the trash near Randy Stone’s body. It was from Love to Teresa Stone, and read in part, “That kiss you took then I gave you one back, it felt like it was my birthday.”
Detectives also said that Love planned on killing his own wife and making it look like an accident so that he and Teresa Stone could be together.
“These two could have chosen divorce,” said prosecutor Tammy Dickenson. “Instead they chose murder.”
While many members of Randy Stone’s family said that they wanted to see Teresa Stone go away to prison for a lot longer than eight years, her two children with Randy Stone both asked the judge to show her mercy.
“We need her in every way,” said son Michael Stone. “I can’t stand the thought of losing my mom after already losing my dad.”
“I’m not asking you to let her escape that punishment,” added daughter Miranda Stone. “I’m just asking that you show her mercy on that punishment.”
