Man sentenced to 20 years in homeless murder

A man pleaded guilty Friday and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in the bludgeoning death of another man in a homeless camp near the Missouri River.

Michael J. Gullett, 58, was found at the camp in September 2012 with the blood of the victim, 53-year-old Joseph W. Loehr, splattered on his face and clothing. Blood was also found on an aluminum baseball bat, a maul, a metal pipe and a knife at the camp.

A witness told police the two men were drinking at the camp north of the levee near Front Street and North Kansas Avenue.

According to Jackson County court records, before Gullett was advised of his Miranda rights he spontaneously said, “I might be a sociopathic, homicidal maniac.”

This story was originally published March 7, 2014 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Man sentenced to 20 years in homeless murder."