A sentencing hearing scheduled for today for a former Aberdeen man charged in the death of Christina Harms was postponed. Dale Beckering, 53, is now scheduled to be sentenced on February 13. He was previously found guilty by a Utah jury of abusing a vulnerable adult and faces up to 15 years in prison. On March 25, Christina Harms, 22, was found dead in the Kearns, Utah, home she shared with Beckering and others involved in the case. Authorities believe she was bound in a crucifixion-style manner to a metal bar inside a small closet in the home. She graduated from Central High School in 2007 and had fetal alcohol syndrome.
According to paperwork filed today in the case, Beckering’s attorney requested a postponement due to errors in the presentence report. Beckering’s wife, Sherrie Beckering, 50, faces a more serious charge of abusing a vulnerable adult. If convicted, she could be sentenced to life in prison. Sherrie Beckering’s daughter, Cassandra Shepard, 28, faces murder and other charges. Shepard was Harms’ legal guardian, and her trial date has not yet been set. Harms, Shepard, and the Beckerings all used to live in Aberdeen.