Justin Dean VanderEcken of Melcher-Dallas has been sentenced in regards to the baseball bat assault of Kenyon Reed in May.
VanderEcken offered to reward two other men for robbing and murdering Reed. The attack hospitalized Reed, but did not kill him, and the plotters were later identified by law enforcement. After initially pleading not guilty to attempted murder and other charges VanderEcken has now pled guilty to willful injury causing serious injury and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.