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A former Shepherd man was sentenced to 80 years in prison in the murder of a Glasgow woman on New Year’s Eve.

Jay Witkowski was sentenced for deliberate homicide in the killing of 31-year-old Evelynn Garcia on Monday in 17th Judicial District Court in Glasgow. A plea agreement called for 70 years, with 10 additional years to run consecutively for the use of a dangerous weapon.

If he follows his sentencing requirements for chemical dependency and other classes in prison, Witkowski will be eligible for parole in 20 years.

Charges say Witkowski stabbed Garcia before hitting her with a tire iron and later a car. Garcia's body was found on Jan. 30 on the side of a road outside Glasgow. She died days later.

Friends and family of Garcia declined to speak in court but wrote letters in advance about the impact of her murder.

Two Division of Criminal Investigation agents testified about blood spatters inside Witkowski’s car and other details of the killing.

Witkowski’s mother took the stand to say that Witkowski’s meth use drove him to kill Garcia, and that violence was out of his character. Witkowski did not make a statement in court on Monday.

The sentencing took roughly four hours.

Witkowski recently tried to escape from the Valley County Detention Facility and has pleaded not guilty to charges from the August incident. Those are: attempted escape, aggravated kidnapping and criminal mischief, all felonies, and unlawful restraint and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors.

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