'Disposed of him like he was trash': Serena Sanchez sentenced on Topeka murder conviction

After killing Rodney Clayton, Serena Sanchez "disposed of him like he was trash," Clayton's sister, Yolanda Johnson, said Monday.

Johnson read a letter from Clayton's family at Monday's sentencing hearing for Sanchez, 27, who pleaded guilty Nov. 20 to unintentional but reckless second-degree murder in the stabbing death of the 57-year-old Clayton.

Sanchez showed no mercy, and Clayton's family asked that none be given to her, Johnson said.

"He did not deserve what happened to him," she said of her brother.

What sentence was imposed?

Defense attorney Jonathon L. Noble replied by stressing that Sanchez was taking responsibility for her actions and was asking the court to sentence her to 10 years, three months in prison.

Shawnee County District Court Judge Maban Wright then sentenced Sanchez to serve 10 years, three months in prison.

That sentence was part of the plea agreement reached last year in the case between attorneys representing Sanchez and the office of District Attorney Mike Kagay.

As part of the agreement, prosecutors dropped a charge of intimidation of a witness or victim against Sanchez and reduced a charge of intentional second-degree murder to unintentional but reckless second-degree murder.

The sentence Sanchez received Monday was the same sentence Kansas sentencing guidelines mandate for someone who had Sanchez's prior criminal record, which includes convictions for two misdemeanors but no felonies, and is then convicted of reckless but intentional second-degree murder.

Wright told Clayton's family that just because she was honoring the plea agreement did not mean that Clayton's life was not of "profound value" to the court, the community and his family.

Wright ordered that Sanchez receive credit for time she has served since March at the Shawnee County Jail and said she would be eligible to earn as much as 15% in good time credits off her sentence.

Wright chose not to order Sanchez to pay court costs after Sanchez told her she has no assets and hasn't held a job since about a year before she was arrested in Clayton's death.

What were the circumstances of the case?

Topeka police said they found Clayton's body tightly wrapped in multiple layers of plastic bags outdoors on the ground toward the back near the southeast corner of Sanchez's then home at 232 S.W. Harrison.

Court records say Clayton in October 2022 allegedly punched Sanchez, slapped her in the face and dragged her by her hair, after which he was charged in January 2023 with battery and interfering with a law enforcement officer.

Clayton was ordered, as a condition of bond, to have no contact with Sanchez.

Sanchez told police last year that she invited Clayton into her home March 6 in an effort to reconcile with him, but Clayton got into a shoving match there with a male guest.

Sanchez said she stepped between Clayton and the guest, Clayton hit her in the mouth, and she reached into her pocket for the pepper spray she normally carried there.

The pepper spray wasn't present but a knife was, and Sanchez grabbed it with plans to hit Clayton on the shoulder with the knife while keeping its blade closed, Sanchez said.

But the blade came open and severed an artery in Clayton's shoulder, she said.

Sanchez told police she felt scared and went to talk to her mother, suggesting others must have moved Clayton's body.

Sanchez chose not to exercise her option of addressing the court Monday.

Sanchez initially invoked 'Stand Your Ground' defense

Johnson called Sanchez a "murderer" Monday and made it clear Clayton's family doesn't believe her story.

"Miss Sanchez was on a mission to murder Rodney, and she did that," Johnson said.

After stabbing Clayton, Sanchez told others who were present not to help him, Johnson added.

Sanchez still "has her whole life ahead of her" while Clayton's life has ended, she said.

Sanchez and her attorneys initially contended she was protected from prosecution by the Kansas Stand Your Ground law.

That law considers a person justified in the use of deadly force against another when the person using force reasonably believes such use of force is necessary to prevent "imminent death or great bodily harm" to themselves or a third party.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Serena Sanchez sentenced to 10 years, three months for Topeka murder