Man sentenced to 50 years for stabbing death of girlfriend

A 26-year-old Wichita man has been sentenced in the stabbing death of his girlfriend after a judge denied his motion to withdraw an earlier guilty plea.

Dylan Barber was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole for 50 years for the June 2018 death of 22-year-old MacKenzie Payne, an Emporia native.

The Emporia Gazette reports Barber pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in February as part of plea deal but filed a motion in April to withdraw the plea.

Sedgwick County District Court Judge Jeffrey Goering on Monday denied that motion before sentencing Barber.

Police say officers went to a Wichita apartment after Barber called to say he had harmed his girlfriend.  Payne was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering several stab wounds.

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