Convicted Fresno killer sentenced 38 years to the day after woman's body found

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A convicted Fresno slayer is present heading to situation 38 years to the time aft investigators recovered Jacqueline Denise Henry successful a field.

"She was a beauteous person," Jean Whittle said astir her sister.

Henry was 22 erstwhile Carl Eugene Sears abducted her and past stabbed her to death.

"Nobody had the close to termination her, to execution her," Whittle said.

Sears, who is present 73, volition walk 11 years successful prison.

He has ne'er admitted guilt and, for years, denied the execution complaint against him. Six weeks ago, arsenic the lawsuit was heading to trial, Sears entered a no-contest plea to voluntary manslaughter, agreeing not to combat the lawsuit immoderate longer.

"He knows he's guilty," Whittle said. "He knows he's guilty. They recovered grounds that we didn't cognize they had due to the fact that backmost erstwhile she was killed. They were telling america they didn't person thing to spell on."

Video from the Action News archives shows investigators collecting evidence. They combed done the tract astatine the country of Church and Fig Avenues.

The lawsuit and the grounds sat acold for decades until advancements successful DNA exertion led investigators to Sears successful 2022.

He was already a convicted enactment offender.

"When they told maine they recovered the murderer, it was her 50th day erstwhile they came to archer maine that," Whittle said.

Henry's lad was a young kid erstwhile she died. Now an adult, helium looked close astatine his mom's slayer successful tribunal connected Monday.

The household says they ne'er mislaid hope.

"I convey God that we were capable to spot that justness - I don't adjacent cognize if it's justness - that helium was caught," Whittle said.

Court records amusement Sears volition soon caput to the Wasco State Prison.

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