The woods representing where the child was murdered (Photo by Michaela Roman).
It was October of 2009 when 15-year old Alyssa Bustamante strangled, stabbed and killed her 9-year old neighbor Elizabeth Olten. It’s been three years since the killing, but Bustamante’s wait is over to find out her sentencing. On Wednesday Feb.8, 2012, Bustamante recieved a life sentence for the killing of Olten in their Jefferson City neighborhood.
Back in 2009, Bustamante confessed to police that she strangled Olten with her bare hands and repeatedly stabbed her and sliced her throat. As strange as it sounds, Bustamante also told police she killed Olten because “she wanted to know what it felt like to kill a person.”
According to NYdailynews.com,The teenager’s defense attorneys had argued for a sentence less than life in prison, saying Bustamante’s use of the antidepressant Prozac had made her more prone to violence. Apparently her prosecutors stated that Bustamante had been dealing with depression
Investigators found disturbing details in Bustamante’s diary explaining how she felt after she killed the innocent 9-year old.
“I strangled them and slit their throat and stabbed them now they’re dead,” said Bustamante in her diary. ”I don’t know how to feel atm. It was ahmazing. As soon as you get over the ‘ohmygawd I can’t do this’ feeling, it’s pretty enjoyable. I’m kinda nervous and shaky though right now. Kay, I gotta go to church now…lol.”
It was clear that Bustamante had no heart at the time to feel some kind of sorrow for her neighbor. When she finally confessed, Bustamante showed investigators the shallow grave she had dug weeks before her killing.
According to edition.cnn.com, Bob Watson, media coordinator for Cole County Circuit Court, said a life sentence in Missouri equates to a maximum of 30 years on the charge of second-degree murder. Bustamante could serve a maximum of 60 years because of the consecutive sentence.
Although the teenage murder sent out her apologies, Olten’s family said before the judge that they’ll never be able to forgive Bustamante for her doings.
