Hearing set for Sarah McLinn in death of Lawrence businessman

A hearing has been scheduled for July to determine if a confession from a 19-year-old woman accused of killing her roommate can be used as evidence in her murder trial.

Sarah Brooke Gonzales McLinn is charged with premeditated first-degree murder in the death of 52-year-old Harold Sasko. Police had testified at an earlier hearing that McLinn confessed during an interview in Miami that lasted more than three hours.

The next hearing in case is set for July 3 and will be used to determine if that confession can be admissible as evidence in her trial.

McLinn’s lawyer, Carl Cornwell, has said his client will use the defense of mental disease or defect during her trial, which was rescheduled Thursday in Douglas County court from Aug. 4 to Jan. 5. A mental evaluation must be completed by Sept. 1. McLinn is being held in the Douglas County Jail on $1 million bond.

Sasko, owner of pizza restaurants in Topeka and Lawrence, was killed Jan. 14. His body was found Jan. 17 at the home he shared with McLinn in Lawrence. Police went to the house after McLinn’s family called police to check on her welfare.

Officers found McLinn on Jan. 25 sleeping in Sasko’s car in Florida. Authorities said she had two knives, two guns, an ax and hashish when she was taken into custody.

This story was originally published June 20, 2014 at 11:05 AM.