KC man sentenced to life in prison for killing Olathe woman he allegedly stalked
A 44-year-old Kansas City man who was found guilty of murder in the death of an Olathe woman he was allegedly stalking was sentenced to life in prison, according to the Johnson County District Attorney’s office.
A Johnson County jury in May found Clyde James Barnes Jr. guilty of premeditated first-degree murder, and other charges, in the killing of 42-year-old Jessica L. Smith in her Olathe home.
Johnson County Judge Timothy P. McCarthy on Thursday ordered Barnes to serve the sentence without the possibility of parole for 50 years, which is referred to as the “Hard 50.”
Barnes was also sentenced to 14.5 years in prison for aggravated burglary, 19 months for tampering with an electronic monitoring device and seven months for criminal threats, which are to run consecutive to the life sentence. A 12 month sentence for violating a protection order is to run concurrently with the life sentence.
Carl Cornwell, the defense attorney for Barnes, said his client was given the maximum sentence and the sentence would be taken up on appeal.
Early on July 5, 2020, officers responding to a reported burglary found Smith’s body inside a home in the 800 block of N. Hamilton Street in Olathe. Barnes was arrested hours after Smith was found dead.
Prior to the killing, Barnes was already facing charges for stalking Smith after he had been served a protection order, according court records. He was arrested in late April and was released from jail to house arrest on bond under conditions that he not go within 1,000 yards of Smith’s home or work. That charge was later dismissed.
