A suspect in the murder of Joshua Haines was sentenced to nearly 12-years for his role in the murder of Joshua Haines back on April 10, of last year.

Vassie Coons had entered pleas to aggravated robbery, possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana while the murder charge against him was dropped. That was part of a plea agreement. The state also agreed to recommend the standard sentence under sentencing guidelines.

But, Judge Tim Chambers only partially went along with that agreement, giving Coons that maximum on that aggravated robbery conviction. The judge says he couldn’t in good conscience give him anything but the maximum considering his participation in the killing. He told the defendant that you made the call to lure Haines to your apartment that led to his death. He says he was an active participant in the crime. Judge Chambers ran all the sentences for the drug charges concurrent to each other, but consecutive to that aggravated robbery.

Coons had been sent to Larned for 120-days for a mental evaluation prior to sentencing. Judge Chambers says that evaluation showed that he uses his mental illness to try get out of jams. He says he doesn’t believe Coons hears voices nearly as much as he lets on.

27-year-old Anthony Waller was sentenced to 40-years in prison for his involvement in the murder which occurred in April of last year.

The third co-defendant in the case, Jose Delacruz was found not guilty of murder, but was convicted of aggravated robbery. He was sentenced to 83-months for the robbery conviction. However, he is scheduled to face trial this month for contempt of court, for refusing to testify in the Waller trial.

The case center on Haines being savagely beaten and strangled in Coons apartment and then placed in his own car and driven to a nearby street where it was found later that day.