Convicted murderer found guilty in fatal beating of Kansas City woman

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    Kansas City, MO (KMBC) — On Wednesday, a Jackson County, Missouri, judge found Kevin O. Hurley guilty of second-degree murder in the December 2015 fatal beating of Brandy K. Helbock-Castaneda.

Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said Hurley will be sentenced at a future date after a sentencing assessment report is completed.

Castaneda’s sister reported seeing her last on Dec. 5, 2015. Castaneda’s body was found in a black trash bag near 49th Street and Brooklyn Avenue on Jan. 8, 2016.

According to court documents, a DNA sample taken from Castaneda’s ankle matched that of Hurley, who had served a prison sentence and is serving life with parole for murder.

Hurley denied knowing Castaneda, investigators said.

Further testing showed that DNA from a rope around the victim’s hips matched Hurley’s or someone in his paternal lineage.

Authorities said Hurley’s son was excluded as a potential contributor of DNA.

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