An Adams County judge sentenced Jere Bagenstose to four to 10 years in state prison today for killing his wife decades ago.

In handing down his sentence, Senior Judge John Kuhn said the disappearance of 25-year-old Maryann Bagenstose’s body in 1984 without a trace of her whereabouts and the loss of the opportunity for her loved ones to put her to rest “demonstrates a level of callousness” on Bagenstose’s behalf.

“We hope that today’s long-awaited sentence brings some measure of peace to our community and to those who knew Maryann,” said District Attorney Heather Adams. “We of course extend our deepest condolences to Maryann’s son, her parents who sadly died without ever truly knowing what happened to their daughter and everyone else whose lives she touched. I would also like to thank the many investigators, prosecutors and other public servants over the years whose commitment to justice and finding the truth helped bring us to this day.”

A jury had found Bagenstose guilty of a single count of voluntary manslaughter for killing Maryann following a two-week trial in March and April over which Senior Judge Kuhn presided. That verdict, Senior Judge Kuhn said, shows that the jury believed “something happened on the day of Maryann’s disappearance that got out of control” and that Bagenstose caused her death.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman, who prosecuted the case along with Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo, told the court that aside from killing Maryann, Bagenstose also subjected her loved ones to “torture, agony and hell” for the next four decades by never revealing what happened to her or her remains.

“He owes all of those people 40 years in accrued debt,” Fetterman told the court.

The loss of a child is “every parent’s worst nightmare,” Fetterman said, but Maryann’s parents were condemned to an even worse fate by Bagenstose by never knowing what happened to her. Additionally, Maryann’s son was robbed of a childhood with his mother, and Maryann herself was denied a final resting place.

“He went about life as usual,” Fetterman told the court. And while Bagenstose could have ended everyone’s suffering, he instead “showed no remorse” and told “lies” to everyone around him.

In a separate proceeding, Senior Judge Kuhn additionally denied bail to Bagenstose.

Bagenstose, 70, kept his head down throughout the hearing and declined to address the court when provided the opportunity to do so before his sentence was imposed.

Before dismissing the court, Senior Judge Kuhn lauded counsel, singling out Fetterman for being “passionate in his advocacy on behalf of the Commonwealth.”

Maryann disappeared from the couple’s Pequea Township home in the 100 block of West Willow Road on June 5, 1984.

Though her body was never found, the Commonwealth demonstrated throughout the trial that Maryann is long dead. Additionally, the Commonwealth demonstrated that all of the evidence indicated Jere Bagenstose was responsible for killing Maryann.

Pennsylvania State Police Troopers Chad Roberts and Brian McNally filed the charges.