Brutal murder of 9-year-old girl by teenager in Missouri leads to law changes in state

The brutal 2009 murder of 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten by her 15-year-old neighbor Alyssa Bustamante continues to haunt a Missouri community. The shocking case led to changes in the state's laws regarding juvenile criminals convicted of murder.

Bustamante was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder, but she was eligible for parole following a 2014 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that no juvenile could be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole – even for murder.

However, in 2021, Missouri state lawmakers passed a law stating that this sentence would not apply to juveniles who committed first-degree murder. In 2024, Governor Mike Parson signed a law extending this law to juveniles convicted of second-degree murder.

The reason for the changes in the law was the Olten family's desire to impose harsher punishments on juvenile murderers. The family had campaigned for legislation that would prevent juvenile murderers from being released on parole.

The case also raises questions about the motives of teenage killers. Bustamante's diary entries, discovered during the investigation, reveal that she had a fascination with death and had been planning the murder for some time.

The case has had a lasting impact on the community, and the changes in state law are a testament to the Olten family's tireless efforts to ensure justice is served.