Woodard sentenced to consecutive terms of life in prison

     Thomas Woodard, Jr., a former inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary (ASP), was sentenced to consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders of ASP Corrections Office Robert McFarland and ASP Nurse Lorena Schulte.

     The murders took place on March 23 when Woodard and fellow inmate Michael Dutcher attempted to escape from the Anamosa Prison.

     Woodard’s sentencing was handed down by Judge Fae Hoover on Aug. 26 at the Jones County Courthouse.

     Additionally, Woodard was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the kidnapping of ASP employee Lorie Matthes, as well as 25 years for the attempted murder of inmate McKinley Roby. Both incidents took place during the March 23 attempted escape. (All sentences were ordered consecutive to one another.)

     Woodard was released to the custody of the Iowa Department of Corrections. Per an earlier plea deal, he will serve his life sentences in the State of Nebraska.

     Woodard previously pled guilty to all four felony charges (two 1^st degree murder, attempted murder, and attempted kidnapping).

     In addition to his sentences, he was also ordered to pay $150,000 to the estate of Robert McFarland, $150,000 to the estate of Lorena Schulte, $306.30 in victim restitution to Lorie Matthes, and an amount to later be determined in victim restitution on behalf of McKinley Roby. (County Attorney Kristofer Lyons asked the judge for 30 days to determine an amount, due to medical bills that are still coming in stemming from Roby’s injuries in the attack.)

     During the sentencing, 11 individuals shared victim impact statements on behalf of those affected by the March 23 attack at the ASP.

     “The events that Mr. Woodard put into action at the ASP had a profound impact on their lives,” said Lyons at the sentencing as he addressed Judge Hoover. “The state (represented by Lyons and Assistant Attorney General Scott Brown) is going to ask that your sentence also have a profound impact.”

     Those 11 who spoke include: Sara McFarland, wife of Robert McFarland; Colton Apfelbeck, step-son of Robert McFarland; Casen McFarland, son of Robert McFarland; Cathie McFarland, mother of Robert McFarland; Kayleen LaPointe, sister of Robert McFarland; David McFarland, brother of Robert McFarland; Stephanie and George Schulte, parents of Lorena Schulte; Isabel Schulte, sister of Lorena Schulte; Gretchen Dixon, sister of Lorena Schulte; Lorie Matthes (impact statement read by Mary Roche); McKinley Roby (impact statement read by Ed Cumming with the Department of Corrections).

     With Woodard’s defense team addressing the judge, Attorney Brian Sissel said, “Regardless of whether this court runs the sentences concurrent or consecutive, Mr. Woodard realizes he’s not getting out of prison for the rest of his life. It’s been clear since the beginning that this was never the plan; this was never his intention. It was his plan to escape from the penitentiary. Both Mr. Woodard and his co-defendant (Dutcher) indicated that it was never their intention to harm anyone. They put themselves in a very bad position and obviously tragic results happened.”

     Judge Hoover said she considered the “nature of the intents and the manner in which the intents were committed,” as well as the number of people impacted by the March 23 incident. “Although there is nothing this court can do to alleviate any hurt and loss that took place as a result of these acts, the court plans to run these sentences consecutively. May this give some solace to the families, knowing that the court takes this very seriously.”