VTC NEWS

In December 2016, a shocking crime occurred in New Jersey when 19-year-old Sarah Stern went missing. The young woman was last seen leaving her home in Neptune City, NJ, and her car was found abandoned on a bridge in nearby Belmar, with the keys still in the ignition and the engine running. The community and her family searched for Sarah for months, but her body was never found.

Ex-classmate gets life in prison for Sarah Stern murder

It wasn’t until 2017 when authorities made an arrest in the case. Liam McAtasney, a friend of Sarah, was arrested and charged with her murder. McAtasney’s friend, Preston Taylor, was also arrested and charged with disposing of the body.

During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that McAtasney had planned the murder for months, with the motive of stealing money that Sarah was going to inherit from her late mother. In video recordings, McAtasney was captured confessing the murder to a friend. Also, several witnesses testified that they had seen McAtasney and Sarah together on the day of the murder.

The trial lasted several weeks and at the end, McAtasney was found guilty of murder, felony murder, robbery, desecration of human remains, and other charges. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The murder of Sarah Stern was a heinous crime that shook the community. Her family and friends had searched for her for months before her body was found, and her death left a deep impact on them. The case serves as a reminder of the gravity of the crime of murder and the devastating consequences it can have on the victim’s loved ones and the community as a whole.

The trial also brought attention to the fact that McAtasney had help in disposing the body, his friend Taylor, who pleaded guilty to disposing of the body and testified against McAtasney. His role in the crime shows the importance of the legal principle of “accomplice liability” where a person can be held responsible for a crime committed by another person if they aided, abetted, or assisted in the commission of the crime.

The case also raised questions about the relationship of the two friends, how McAtasney was able to manipulate and deceive Taylor, and how far one can go for the sake of friendship. The case serves as a warning about the danger of blindly trusting others and the importance of being aware of the true nature of those around us.

Overall, the case of Sarah Stern murder is a tragic one that highlights the disturbing reality of violent crime, the impact of greed and the importance of justice being served.