An Oklahoma woman who desecrated another woman’s corpse at a funeral home viewing in 2015 will serve 16 years in prison after a jury found her guilty of several felony charges on Thursday.
NewsOK reports that a dozen witnesses testified against Shayna Sims (pictured left), 29, who pleaded not guilty to burglary, concealing stolen property, larceny, and unauthorized removal of body parts from a body. Sims, an experienced makeup artist, asked to help prepare the body of Tabatha Lynch (pictured right) 38, for funeral service viewing on April 13, 2015, at Moore’s Eastlawn Chapel in Tulsa.
Lynch, who died of natural causes, was reportedly having an affair with Sims’ estranged husband, Montie Smith. Lynch was also his former girlfriend
Instead of helping, Sims flew into a fit of jealousy and stole the victim’s shoes, then cut off her hair, a toe, and her nipples. She then slashed Lynch’s face and smeared her makeup minutes before the funeral viewing.
“She had makeup and lipstick smeared all over her face; her hair was just all over the place,” the victim’s mother, Charlotte Wheeler, said during her testimony in court.
Police found Sims inside Lynch’s apartment after the viewing. Assistant District Attorney Reagan Reininger, who described Sims as a “scorned wife” who wanted revenge on Lynch, said that Sims stole the victim’s jewelry from her apartment.
Sims’ lawyer argued that his client wasn’t in the right state of mind after being humiliated and embarrassed over the alleged affair between her husband and Lynch.
“We understand a person being jealous; we understand a person being angry,” Assistant District Attorney Tanya Wilson said. “And she probably had every right to be, but… she took it a step too far.”
Sims was sentenced to serve 16 years concurrently behind bars. She was also ordered to pay a $6,500 fine.
[Feature Photo: Police Handout/Facebook]
