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Man sentenced for murders of Newton mother, daughter

NEWTON, Kan. (AP) — A homeless man who murdered a Kansas woman and her 4-year-old daughter has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Hawkins-photo Harvey County

Keith Hawkins was sentenced Friday for capital murder in the August 2017 deaths of 24-year-old Alyssa Runyon and her daughter, Zaylynn Paz.

The victims’ bodies were found at their duplex in Newton, Kansas. Police said the girl was stabbed and her mother was strangled.

Hawkins was arrested in Texas. Authorities said he was homeless and was visiting Runyon.

Alyssa Runyon & Zaylynn Courtesy image

The victims’ families agreed to a plea deal that dropped two counts of first-degree murder in exchange for his guilty plea to capital murder.

Authorities said Hawkins was a sex offender but his prior conviction was not placed on the public offender registry.

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