Families reconcile after sentencing

Nov. 20—One of the killers of Ariel Starcher, as expected, is headed for hard time after sentencing Monday, but a surprise moment of warmth and kindness followed at the Buchanan County Courthouse.

Jennifer Utterback, Starcher's mother, pledged forgiveness for Taylor Stoughton, who she said once regarded Utterback as a surrogate mother. That was, until a fateful day in February 2020 when Stoughton, 25, helped Marcus Brooks, 32, cause the death of Starcher, aged 21 at the time of her death at a hotel in Kansas City, Missouri.

Road workers found the body dumped in a gym bag two weeks later in rural Buchanan County. Utterback said she holds Stoughton and Brooks equally responsible for the death, but she wants only the best for Stoughton, in light of Stoughton's remorse, as heard during her confession, apology and testimony against Brooks.

"It means justice and healing," Utterback said. "Healing for my side, as well as the defendant's side, too. We, the family as a whole, can start to mend now, now that we're able to get justice for Ariel."

On Monday, Utterback embraced members of Stoughton's family, who had come to ask Judge Dan Kellogg for kindness. Kellogg did give Stoughton some grace in ordering her to serve 11 years, with a credit of 1,000 days, to account for how Stoughton has been in jail since June 2021.

Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Davidson asked Kellogg on Monday for a sentence of 12 years, as established in a 2022 plea agreement between Stoughton and Ron Holliday, Davidson's predecessor. Stoughton will be eligible for release after serving 85% of her time; she might be freed from confinement in the winter of 2030-31.

"Ariel's mother loves Taylor, and understands the situation that she was in, not that she condoned what she did," said Becky Wright, Stoughton's aunt. "But she forgave Taylor, gave her forgiveness, which is healing for their family, our family, for Taylor."

Brooks will be sentenced by Kellogg for first-degree murder at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 21, after he denied to the very end all involvement in Starcher's death, blaming Stoughton for the attack. Brooks admitted to helping dump the body as part of his defense. The jury didn't believe it, and Brooks is unlikely to ever again be a free man, Davidson said in court on Monday. Missouri statute indicates he will receive a term of life without parole.

"We have closure now, you know, as much as possible," said LePasha Wilson, Starcher's stepfather. "It opens a door for new friends to come together and help raise these kids, and help each other, and support each other."

Wilson said what has been done now sets up the best support for the family members, especially Starcher's two orphaned children, as well as Stoughton's own child, who she cannot raise while she is in prison.

Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem