Woman sent to prison for fatal stabbing

A woman prosecutors say stabbed a 69-year-old man to death pleaded guilty to murder and was promptly sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

Joy Lynn Adams, 35, entered a guilty plea to one count of murder, a first-degree felony, as part of a plea bargain before 3rd District Judge Vernice Trease on Thursday.

Ordinarily, judges order presentence reports and sentencings are scheduled later, but Trease immediately imposed the prison term. The judge also dismissed another charge in this case, a count of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony.

Trease also dismissed a 2008 case pending against Adams involving charges of burglary, drug possession, criminal mischief and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Adams, 34, was arrested in connection with the Jan. 27 death of Adolph Neal, who was stabbed in the throat in his residence at the Lorna Doone apartments, 320 E. 100 South, around 5 a.m. Police originally responded a few minutes earlier to the Annie Laurie apartment complex, which is next to the Lorna Doone apartments, on a call reporting a disturbance.

However, police found an open door with no one inside at the Annie Laurie place. Shortly afterward, there was a second call from the Lorna Doone apartments reporting some type of medical problem. Police again found an open door on the first floor, soon located Neal's body and also found undisclosed evidence that they deemed suspicious.

Various witnesses told police that Adams was the person who stabbed Neal during a dispute and Adams was arrested the next day. The two were described as "acquaintances," but little else was revealed about their relationship or the nature of the dispute.

— Linda Thomson