In the wake of the murder of 15-year-old Kathlynn Shepard, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad is questioning Iowa’s criminal sentencing rules.
Branstad says it’s appropriate to review the state’s sentencing provisions. Alleged kidnapper and murderer, Michael Klunder was released from prison in 2011 after serving 20 years for convictions in two separate Iowa kidnappings. Branstad acknowledged this and think’s the state needs to make some provisions to it’s sentencing. Klunder could only be held for so long under state law.
The body of the missing teenager was found near Boone in the Des Moines River by some fisherman Friday. An autopsy confirmed that it was Kathlynn Shepard.
Kathlynn and a 12-year old girl were kidnapped May 20th. The 12-year-old escaped and not long after, Klunder committed suicide.
Investigators think that Klunder may have been behind the abduction of two girls from Evansdale last year.
