Manhattan couple sentenced in prostitute’s kidnapping, death

A Manhattan man and woman were both sentenced on Monday to 28 years in federal prison for the kidnapping and death of a Junction City woman, according to a release issued by U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.

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Larry L. Anderson, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death. His girlfriend, Marryssa M. Middleton, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit the kidnapping resulting in death.

The couple pleaded guilty to kidnapping Amanda Clemons, 24, from a Junction City hotel.

“In their pleas, Anderson and Middleton admitted that on Feb. 7, 2014, they and co-defendants met the victim, who was a prostitute, at a hotel in Junction City and kidnapped her,” according to a release issued Monday from Beall’s office. “The defendants beat the victim in retribution for comments the victim made on social media about having a sexual relationship with Anderson.”

During the beating, Anderson and Middleton demanded Clemons pay them $300. They took her to another hotel room in an attempt to get the money and afterward took her to a residence at Fort Riley.

According to the release, Anderson and Middleton allowed Clemons to call her mother, at which time the victim’s mother realized her daughter was in danger and called Junction City Police.

The police then called Clemons’ phone to check on her as Anderson and Middleton listened to the conversation on a speaker phone.

The couple, fearing arrest, then took Clemons to a bridge in a remote area of Geary County, where they resumed beating and attacking her with a knife. Clemons eventually broke free and jumped off the bridge, falling 15 feet and breaking her ankle.

Some of the defendants found her below the bridge in snow, where she was killed when her throat was cut.

Co-defendants in the case include:

▪ Drexel Woody, 26, who lived at Fort Riley at the time of the crime. His sentencing is set for June 26.

▪ Shantrell D. Woody, 27, Fort Riley, formerly an active-duty service member. His case is set for sentencing on May 30.

▪ Christopher Pugh, 33, Junction City. His sentencing is June 26.

Beall thanked the Junction City Police Department, the Grandview Plaza Police Department, the Geary County Sheriff’s Office, the Riley County Police Department, the Fort Riley Criminal Investigation Division, the FBI, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag and Geary County Attorney Steven Opat for their work in helping to solve the case.