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Jailed for 109 years: Man tortured and murdered partner’s son, 3, then buried his body in concrete

Stephen Bodine tortured and killed a three-year-old boy before encasing his body in concrete (Picture: AP)
Stephen Bodine tortured and killed a three-year-old boy before encasing his body in concrete (Picture: AP)

A man who abused and murdered his girlfriend’s three-year-old son before burying him in concrete has been jailed for 109 years.

Stephen Bodine, 41, encased the body of Evan Brewer in concrete in the garage of the rental home he shared with the boy’s mother, Miranda Miller, 37.

Prosecutors said the couple chained the boy in the basement and forced him to stand in a corner for hours in the months before his death in May 2017 at their rented home in Wichita, Kansas.

Evan’s body was found the following September by the landlord after Miller and Bodine moved out.

Bodine was convicted in October of first-degree murder, child abuse and other charges.

Bodine has been sentenced to 109 years in jail (Picture: AP)
Bodine has been sentenced to 109 years in jail (Picture: AP)

Miller pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges last month and is due to be sentenced in January.

Her plea deal required her to testify against Bodine.

Judge Steve Ternes sentenced Bodine to 109 years and six months after telling him during the hearing in Sedgwick County district court: “Your acts were disgusting and cowardly and monstrous.”

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Bodine, 41, did not address the court.

During Bodine’s trial, prosecutors presented a cache of 16,000 photos and video files collected by the couple’s home surveillance system that detailed the boy’s abuse.

Miller testified that Bodine made Evan stand against a wall for hours for not eating on May 19, 2017. When the boy collapsed, Bodine took the screaming boy into the bathroom and later came out with his wet and lifeless body.

Miller said Bodine mixed bags of concrete and buried the boy’s body in it.

When Evan’s body was found, it was so badly decomposed that a post-mortem examination couldn’t determine how he had died. He had Benadryl in his system, and Miller said she thinks Bodine sickened him in the days leading up to his death by force-feeding him large amounts of salt.

The murdered boy’s father, Carlo Brewer, wipes away tears during a court hearing in October in which Bodine was convicted (Picture: AP)
The murdered boy’s father, Carlo Brewer, wipes away tears during a court hearing in October in which Bodine was convicted (Picture: AP)

Evan’s father, Carlo Brewer, said he began seeking custody of his son after noticing signs that he had been abused, and authorities were alerted at least six times that Evan was being abused.

After the sentencing, Carlo Brewer said he was pleased with the sentence.

“We don’t have to worry about him getting out and hurting other people or children. It’s turned into a pretty good day,” he said.

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