TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW/AP) - The Kansas supreme Court on Friday upheld the conviction of a man accused of killing a Bonner Springs Dollar General store manager.
26-year-old John Backus was found guilty of premeditated first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery in the 2005 death of 44-year-old Robin Bell.
Bell was found murdered in the Dollar General store she managed. She was beaten with several objects before she was shot. The crime took place when four young people decided to commit a robbery to get money to fix a car. One of the four, who backed out, later told detectives they decided to eliminate any witnesses.
Backus was one of three people convicted in the killing.
The Court unanimously rejected Backus' six claims of trial error, including that jurors were allowed to see inflammatory photos and that he is mentally challenged.
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