Richard Lyons was sentenced to 60 years in prison Friday for the brutal stabbing death of his 9-year-old daughter, Mya.
Ericka Barnes called her ex a “coward and psychopath” for killing their daughter on July 14, 2008.
Lyons, now 45, initially “confused” police by telling them he found Mya lying in pool of blood in a dilapidated lot near his home in the 8400 block of Gilbert Court, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Fabio Valentini said in Lyons’ January trial.
But his farce was blown 2 1/2- years later when blood spatter expert Rod Englert determined that Mya wasn’t attacked in the grassy alley where Lyons had claimed but just outside his home and in the dark van he said he drove to frantically to search for her.
Lyons was arrested after Englert delivered his findings.
In his closing arguments, prosecutors said Lyons just went into “self-preservation” mode the minute he slammed Mya’s body against a lock box behind his house.
He then took Mya into his van where he stabbed her before dumping her body in the dark, secluded lot, changing his clothes and playing “hero” by pretending to find her, prosecutors said.
He had no remorse, Valentini said Friday.