Life Sentence Reaffirmed in 1988 Murder of Gloucester County Girl
What happened
Where it happened
- Woodbury, Gloucester County.
A Gloucester County judge has reaffirmed the life sentence of Kenneth Houseknecht, who was convicted in the 1988 murder of 12-year-old Kim Anderson in Woodbury.
Gloucester County Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns said Judge Kevin T. Smith issued the ruling after Houseknecht requested resentencing, according to RLS Media.
Court documents and statements cited in the draft say Houseknecht was 14 on April 19, 1988, when he broke into the Anderson home intending to steal money. Kim Anderson was home alone preparing for school when she was attacked and killed.
Houseknecht was charged with murder, tried as an adult and convicted. On Sept. 17, 1991, he was sentenced to life in prison with 30 years of parole ineligibility.
He later sought resentencing under State v. Comer, which allows juveniles serving lengthy prison terms to request review after 20 years in prison. After reviewing testimony and statements from both families, Smith affirmed the original sentence.
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