Carnahan To Be Sentenced Today For Jackie Johns Murder:

Gerald Carnahan (mug shot SLCOSO)

The man convicted last month of murdering Jackie Johns twenty-five years ago will be sentenced today in St. Louis County.

Gerald Carnahan was always the chief suspect in the 20 year-old woman's rape and beating death. Advances in DNA finally caught up with now paunchy international businessman in August of 2007 when he was charged with first-degree murder and forcible rape for the former beauty queen's murder. 

Jackie Johns (family photo)

Johns was last seen alive buying hairspray and cigarettes at the 7-Eleven convenience store in Nixa between 10:30  and 11:00 p.m. on June 17, 1985.  Her body was found by anglers floating in Lake Springfield four days after she went missing.

Witnesses reported seeing Carnahan's distinctive truck parked behind the convenience store and near Johns' abandoned vehicle the night she went missing.

The sentencing of Carnahan today is a mere formality, as the only sentence available for first-degree murder is life without the possibility of parole.  The jury has also recommended a life sentence for the rape conviction. 

The reality is Gerald Carnahan will never set foot outside of prison alive....barring an appeals court overturning the convictions.