Mark C. Poppen, 47, pleaded guilty Monday in Webster County District Court to one count of attempted murder and one count of willful injury causing serious injury.

The hearing was held at the Humboldt County Courthouse in Dakota City because Judge Kurt Stoebe, who was specially assigned to preside over the case, was assigned to the bench there Monday.

During the hearing, Poppen told Stoebe that on Sept. 12, 2017, he cut the throats of Mary Kay McMahon and her sister, Sandy Mercer, at 3109 Ninth Ave. S. with a box cutter.

“On that night, your honor, moving things out of the household, I grabbed the box cutter out of the vehicle I was moving things into and I attempted to take her life,” Poppen said.

The “her” he was referring to was McMahon, whom Poppen called Kay in his testimony.

He further described what he did to McMahon.

“Taking the box cutter, your honor, I cut both sides of her throat,” he said.

“And it was your intent, in doing so, to kill her?” Stoebe asked.

“Yes, sir. Yes, your honor,” he said. “It was.”

Webster County Attorney Jennifer Benson told Stoebe that McMahon’s injuries needed critical care and emergency surgery. She further said the cut was 20 centimeters long and that McMahon’s left external jugular vein was completely divided.

Mercer showed up at the home after Poppen had cut her sister’s throat.

Poppen said he then turned his attention to Mercer.

“Kay’s sister, Sandy, came to where we were, and seeing her sister lying on the ground with her throat cut, she attempted to render aid to her sister,” Poppen told Stoebe. “And that’s when I assaulted her. Panicking, I then grabbed the knife and put a small cut on her throat.”

After Poppen’s guilty pleas were accepted, Charles Kenville, of Fort Dodge, Poppen’s attorney, informed Stoebe that his client wished to proceed immediately to sentencing.

Prior to sentencing, both McMahon and Mercer made victim impact statements.

Both spoke directly to Poppen.

McMahon tearfully told Poppen that she harbors no ill will towards him, but does feel emotional.

“I just have deep sadness in my heart,” McMahon said. “My heart is broke. For you. For me. I am so sad that this was the only solution you could come up with that night.”

She told Poppen that his actions that night do not reflect the person she knows.

“The decent man I fell in love with was not the man who did this to me,” she said.

McMahon further said she hopes Poppen is able to rehabilitate himself in prison.

“I hope and pray that you do not go to jail and waste away and die in prison,” she said. “That you use this because you are a good man. I still love that man, and I want you to go to prison and try to figure out that darkness that is inside of you and cure it.”

She believes he can change.

“You can do it,” she said. “You’re a smart man.”

Mercer said Poppen tried to commit two murders that night, with her being the second victim. At one point she stood up and pointed to the scar on her neck that was caused by Poppen’s knife.

She said he needs to figure out why he tried to kill two women that night.

“I’m a mom. A grandma,” Mercer said. “I have a mom and a dad, brothers and sisters. Kay has a mom and dad and brothers and sisters. And it’s not only what you did to us, but how you put the fear in our parents, at 87 years old.”

Like her sister, Mercer said that Poppen is a good person and she’s never hated him.

“And I just thank God that Kay called me over there because Kay saved my life and the neighbors saved both our lives,” she said. “And we’re very, very fortunate. And I hope you go and can help yourself while you’re gone.”

Poppen briefly spoke to McMahon and Mercer.

“I owe Kay and Sandy and their family an apology,” he said. “I had absolutely reckless and horrible behavior that night. I was consumed by rage. And I’m sorry. I am sorry.”

Before he sentenced Poppen, Stoebe conversed with him for a few minutes, trying to figure out why he committed this act.

Poppen said he just “snapped” and was “consumed by rage.”

Stoebe said he was moved by McMahon and Mercer’s statements.

“And they don’t talk about retribution or revenge,” Stoebe said. “But I have to sit here and do what’s in the best interest of the public, and the best interest of the public is to keep you from other human beings.”

It was at this point that Stoebe called Poppen’s act “a crime of depravity.”

“It is not a simple assault. It is not an act of getting away from another human being,” he said. “And the statements that you made indicate, in the minutes of testimony after the incident, the general circumstances of the offense, the attacking one sister who was coming to help another sister, the instrument you used in the circumstances. They all fall within the category of a depraved event.”

Stoebe sentenced Poppen to 25 years in prison on the attempted murder charge. Poppen must serve 70 percent of that sentence, or 17 and a half years, before he is eligible for parole.

Poppen also received 10 years on the willful injury charge. He must serve five years before he is eligible for parole on that conviction.

The sentences will run consecutively, for a total maximum sentence of 35 years. In addition, Stoebe also issued no-contact orders between Poppen, Mercer and McMahon, which will last five years and can be extended if requested.