GRUNDY CENTER - Michelle Kehoe, 36, of Coralville, will spend the rest of her life in prison for killing her 2-year-old son Seth and attempting to kill her other son Sean, 7, by cutting both of their throats in October 2008.

Kehoe crying told the court she was sorry and that she loved both her sons.

Her husband Eugene, who also started crying on the stand, said in his victim's impact statement that this happened because his wife is mentally ill and he knows she loved her sons. He will forgive her. He also blamed the court system for not understanding mental illness.

First Judicial District Judge Bruce Zager sentenced her to the maximum time allowed by law. The first-degree murder charge carries mandatory life, 25 years on attempted murder and 10 years on child endangerment causing serious injury. The attempted murder and child endangerment will run concurrently but both charges will run consecutively to the murder charge.

Michelle Kehoe was found guilty of killing her son Seth, 2, and wounding her other son, Sean, who was 7 at the time of the attack.

Kehoe, 35, and her two sons were reported missing on Sunday, October 26th, 2008. Husband and father Gene Kehoe told police that they were traveling from their home in Coralville to visit family in Sumner, but they never arrived.

The next day, Seth was found dead near his family's minivan in a wooded area. Sean was found inside the family’s minivan with injuries. Michelle and Sean were taken to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries. (photo timeline of the Kehoe case)

Her trial began on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 in Grundy Center. On November 5th, she was found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder and child endangerment causing serious injury.

Complete coverage of the Kehoe case on KCRG.com.

Watch the verdict:


Watch Gene Kehoe speak at sentencing:


Watch Michelle Kehoe speak at sentencing: