WICHITA — A Kansas prosecutor is praising the jurors who sat through days of grisly testimony and evidence before finding a man guilty of abuse and first-degree murder in the death of a 3-year-old boy whose body was found encased in concrete.
The jury found 41-year-old Stephen Bodine of Wichita guilty on Wednesday in the May 19, 2017, killing of Evan Brewer. Bodine will be sentenced Dec. 17.
The weeklong trial included video and photos showing Evan being abused, including being chained naked in a basement, berated and forced to stand in a corner for hours.
Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett says the jury performed an extraordinary service to the community while having to absorb more than 500 pieces of sometimes “wretched” evidence.
Bennett says the overwhelming evidence contributed to the jury reaching a quick verdict.
