The true story behind Sarah McLinn’s crime

Sarah McLinn, known in court records as Sarah Gonzales-McLinn, was convicted of first-degree murder in Kansas in 2015. The case centers on the 2014 killing of Lawrence businessman Hal Sasko and the events that followed, including a later sentence reduction and a pending clemency request.

A re-air of the Snapped episode covering the case is set for Friday, September 26, at 11 pm ET on Oxygen. The episode originally aired on January 22, 2017, as Season 19, Episode 9, titled Sarah McLinn.

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Case facts on Sarah McLinn

Investigators found Hal Sasko deceased in his Lawrence home in January 2014. Trial evidence described wrists and ankles bound with zip ties and a fatal throat wound, with the word FREEDOM written in blood on a wall. According to Lawrence Journal World (September 2015), these details were central to the jury’s view of the crime.

Investigators found Sasko deceased in his Lawrence home in January 2014. (Image via Pexels)

At the time, Gonzales McLinn was 19 and living in Sasko’s home. The two first met through her work at one of his pizza restaurants, and a Douglas County jury later returned a verdict of first-degree premeditated murder. Per the Lawrence Journal-World, jurors also found aggravating factors.

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Trial and sentence in the Sarah McLinn case

The defence presented a mental disease or defect theory that the jury rejected. Judge Paula Martin imposed a Hard 50 life sentence, meaning parole eligibility after 50 years.

Sarah McLinn’s sentence was later reduced to a Hard 25 (life with parole eligibility after 25 years) in 2021 through an agreement that required giving up appeal rights. The Kansas City Star reported these changes, noting that parole is not guaranteed even after the minimum term.

The court imposed a Hard 50 life sentence with parole eligibility after 50 years (Image via Pexels)

What jurors did and did not hear has remained a point of dispute. In a closed discussion before trial, the court limited testimony about alleged abuse during the guilt phase. Kansas Reflector described those limits and the post-trial debate about strategy and evidence access.

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Clemency status for Sarah McLinn

Advocates filed a clemency application in December 2022. KCUR noted that the request is under review and summarised public events in May 2024 where supporters outlined the case for mercy. The earliest parole window without clemency is reportedly in 2039, as covered by The Kansas City Star (August 2024).

Accounts of alleged grooming, control, and coerced sex have been presented by advocates and in community forums. The Lawrence Times reported a former cellmate’s description of ongoing trauma symptoms and detailed the outreach campaign urging a clemency review. These are allegations presented by supporters and were not part of the jury’s guilt phase evidence.

Case observers also point to records that reportedly show financial leverage and cosmetic procedures tied to debt while Sarah McLinn lived in Sasko’s home. Kansas Reflector described those claims and the broader argument from supporters that the full context was not available to jurors during the trial’s first phase.

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Snapped keyart (Image via Oxygen)

Snapped, Season 19, Episode 9, titled Sarah McLinn, is available to stream on Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, fuboTV, NBC, Oxygen, YouTube TV, and Hulu. It can be purchased on Apple TV, Amazon Video, and Fandango At Home.

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