UPDATED: Jennings Found Guilty Of Isenbletter's "Grisly" Murder; Sentenced To LIfe:

Matthew S. Jennings

A jury has found a man from Springfield guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the July 2008 "grisly" stabbing death of Jason Isenbletter.

Isenbletter's mother found him dead in his duplex with more than 50 stab wounds and his throat slit after he hadn't shown up for work several days. The medical examiner believes he was dead approximately four days before he was found.

In court documents, Detective David Meyer writes thatMatthew S. Jennings and Christopher Coleman went to Isenbletter's house to buy pot late on the night of July 17, 2008. The two men told investigators that Isenbletter answered the door with a gun in his hand and that prompted the killing.

A Highway Patrol trooper in Oklahoma operating a "smart car" that can scan the license plates of multiple vehicles at one time was alerted to Isenbletter's stolen vehicle as he drove through a rest stop in Thackerville.

According to court documents, Coleman, 28, and Jennings approached the trooper with their hands up, "We killed our friend," Coleman said.

Christopher Coleman

Coleman pleaded guilty to his role in Isenbletter's murder last August, and was sentenced to life in prison.

The jury has recommended that Jennings be sentenced to life in prison for the murder conviction and an additional 50 years for the armed criminal action conviction when he is sentenced on July 2nd.

UPDATE JULY 2, 2010:

Judge Calvin Holden sentenced Jennings was to life on the murder conviction (a life sentence in Missouri is 30 years) + 50 years for armed criminal action. Those sentences will run concurrently (at the same time.)

Murder Trial Underway For Man Accused Of Killing "Friend":

Matthew S. Jennings

The trial for a man accused of stabbing a Springfield man to death is underway.

Matthew Steven Jennings, 37, is charged with second degree murder and armed criminal action for the murder of Jason Isenbletter who was found dead in his McDaniel Street home by family members in of July of 2008. Isenbletter had been stabbed over 50 times in the back, neck and chest. His throat was also slit. Greene County Medical Examiner Dr. Doug Anderson estimated that Isenbletter was dead four days before his mother found him dead.

Jason Isenbletter

Authorities put out a BOLO for Isenbletter's vehicle that was missing from the man's duplex. An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper operating a "smart car" was alerted to the vehicle as he drove through a rest stop in Thackerville.

According to court documents, Christopher Coleman, 28, and Jennings approached the trooper with their hands up. "We killed our friend," Coleman said.

Christopher R. Coleman

Coleman told investigators he and Jennings went to Isenbletter's home on July 17,2008 to buy pot. Coleman said it was late and the pair had to wake Isenbletter up. Isenbletter allegedly was upset and answered the door with a gun which led the pair to kill Isenbletter.

Coleman pleaded guilty to his role in Isenbletter's murder last August, and was sentenced to life in prison.