A Spokane couple pleaded guilty Thursday to killing their daughter's 19-year-old boyfriend four years ago after falsely accusing him of sex trafficking the girl.
As part of an agreement, John B. Eisenman, 63, pleaded guilty as charged to first-degree murder in the death of Andrew Sorensen. Brenda D. Kross, 57, pleaded to first-degree manslaughter for her role in the November 2020 killing of Sorensen, whose mother said he had cerebral palsy and autism, as reported by the Spokesman-Review.
The killing grabbed headlines across the nation because of Eisenman's sex-trafficking claim and even earned him financial support on a crowd-funding website for his legal defense. He later said he was likely under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the slaying.
The prosecution and defense agreed to a 22-year prison sentence for Eisenman and an eight-year sentence for Kross. Spokane County Superior Court Judge Annette Plese will sentence the couple Jan. 16.
Sorenson was Found Dead in the Trunk of an Abandoned Vehicle with Ankles, Hands Bound, Tape Over His Mouth
Sorensen's body was found Oct. 22, 2021, in the trunk of an abandoned Honda Accord registered to Kross, in northeast Spokane, according to court documents.
Spokane Police Det. Randy Lesser wrote in court documents that Sorensen's ankles were bound together with zip ties and his hands were bound behind his back with ties. Tape appeared to cover Sorensen's mouth.
Lesser visited Kross' residence and spoke to Eisenman, as she wasn't home. Eisenman claimed he and Kross owned the vehicle but someone had stolen it from their residence more than a year ago, Lesser wrote. Kross repeated the stolen vehicle story a couple of days later, but Lesser noted she never reported the vehicle stolen.
Eisenman and Kross Told Police Sorenson Forced Their Daughter into Prostitution in Seattle
Eisenman and Kross told police their daughter was sold into prostitution in October 2020 in Seattle by Sorensen, her boyfriend. They said they drove to Seattle to rescue her. However, Plese said Thursday in court that there was no evidence to support the claim that Sorensen sex-trafficked his girlfriend.
Police also noted in documents there was no evidence to support the sex trafficking claim. Lesser wrote he has "not been able to document any independent and verifiable facts that would indicate that Sorensen somehow sex trafficked" his girlfriend.
Eisenman Confessed to Neighbor About Killing Sorensen
A couple of days after Sorensen's body was found, Lesser learned a resident called Crime Check to report that his neighbor told him Eisenman confessed to killing someone and placing the body into the trunk of a vehicle. Lesser contacted the neighbor, who said Eisenman indicated he killed Sorensen because Sorensen forced his daughter into prostitution.
Eisenman provided specific details about Sorensen, who was reported missing in November 2020, being found in the trunk of the Honda that only someone who was involved in the homicide would know, Lesser wrote. Eisenman was arrested one week after Sorensen's body was found.
Eisenman Told Investigators They Went to Seattle to Rescue Their Daughter, Killed Sorensen with Cinder Block and Stabbed Him Several Times
He told police he and Kross went to Seattle in October 2020 to rescue their daughter. After returning to Spokane with the girl, he learned Sorensen was going to be at a mobile home park in Airway Heights. Eisenman said he surveilled the location and saw Sorensen being dropped off at the location, according to documents.
Eisenman confronted Sorensen, used zip ties to tie Sorensen's hands behind his back and placed him into the trunk of the Honda, he told police. Eisenman said he used zip ties to bound Sorensen's ankles, put a sock in his mouth and wrapped tape around his mouth.
While Sorensen was in the trunk, Eisenman admitted to punching Sorensen and throwing a cinder block at his head, then stabbing him several times in the stomach.
Eisenman told police he drove the car back to his residence with Sorensen's body inside the trunk and left the vehicle parked on the street. The next day, Eisenman drove the Honda, with Sorensen's body still inside, to property off U.S. Highway 2. He put the Honda in the back of the property and removed the car battery, so that no one could drive it.
Kross was Arrested After She Bragged About the Killing to Coworker
Kross made it nearly another year before being arrested after she told a co-worker about taunting of the dying teen, according to documents. The woman said Kross told her Sorensen "got what he deserved." Police arrested Kross and booked her into jail Sept. 15, 2022, on suspicion of first-degree murder.
