'Sandwich murder' conviction is upheld 
The Associated Press 

Saturday, December 8, 2001 

Topeka 
The Kansas Supreme Court refused Friday to overturn the first-degree
murder conviction of John S. Hermosillo.

He was sentenced to life in prison, with no possibility of parole for 25
years, for the April 1999 death of John Keeley, an upstairs neighbor in
Lyons, 65 miles northwest of Wichita.

Two Friendship Meals workers found Keeley dead in his recliner in front of
his television when they came to deliver lunch. Keeley was in poor health,
suffering from malnutrition, the effects of alcoholism and a rapid
heartbeat.

Initially, authorities believed Keeley had choked on a ham sandwich.
Later, police heard that Hermosillo had told friends that he had killed
Keeley 
Hermosillo argued that the state didn't have enough evidence to show he
had plotted and carried out a murder. The Supreme Court disagreed in its
unanimous ruling written by Justice Fred Six.

Keeley's death might not have led to any investigation but for statements
from Hermosillo's three friends who said he told them he killed Keeley.

One friend told police that Hermosillo said Keeley was living in misery,
dying slowly and that, "He would be doing Mr. Keeley a favor if he did him
in," according to court documents.

After the murder, according to the prosecution, Hermosillo said he felt
like assisted suicide proponent Jack Kevorkian.

Police also said Hermosillo stole checks from Keeley, forged the victim's
signature and cashed them at a grocery store in Sterling. Hermosillo also
was convicted of four counts of forgery.