Inmate re-sentenced to life with chance of parole for murder

Staff report

A Charles City man was re-sentenced to life with a chance of parole for killing his 3-year-old cousin.

The jury deliberated only a few minutes Thursday before returning the verdict of life with a chance of parole for Edgar Concepcion Jr., who was found guilty of murder in 2010. The hearing this week began Feb. 3.

Authorities say Concepcion was 14 when he killed Krystel Banes in 2009. Concepcion, 19, has been serving his life-without-parole sentence at Anamosa State Penitentiary. He was tried and convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree sexual abuse and child endangerment causing bodily injury. That November, he was sentenced to two terms of life in prison without parole plus 30 years.

The Iowa Court of Appeals later upheld his convictions but overturned his sentence. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that such life sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional, so Concepcion had to be resentenced.

The Associated Press contributed to this report