Zackery Bassett, 34, of Webster City, was sentenced on Monday to a maximum of 50 years in prison for the 2018 death of 50-year-old Sokolowski, his then-girlfriend. Bassett was convicted of second-degree murder by a Hamilton County jury earlier this year.

Second-degree murder, a Class B felony, carries a mandatory sentence of up to 50 years in prison, with at least 35 years having been served before the defendant is eligible for parole.

“We believe that not only is this mandatory, but appropriate given the severity of the crime,” Iowa Assistant Attorney General Keisha Cretsinger said during Monday’s hearing.

Sokolowski’s four children were given the opportunity to read their victim impact statements prior to Bassett’s sentencing.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Jared Foster, son of homicide victim Andrea Sokolowski, looks at defendant Zackery Bassett, 34, during Bassett's sentencing hearing for his second-degree murder conviction for Sokolowski's death.

“Ever since my mother passed away, I’ve noticed it’s harder on days where it’s either a holiday or a birthday, because those are the days that remind me that she is no longer with us,” said Jared Foster, Sokolowski’s only son.

He said when his sister told him their mother had died, he felt like he was in a dream that he desperately wanted to wake up from.

Foster addressed Bassett directly in the courtroom.

“You took my mother’s life with your bare hands, without any remorse and then tried to cover it up,” he said. “She was just 50 years old and had so much life left to live.”

He continued, noting Bassett’s long, documented history of domestic abuse against Sokolowski.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Denise McKnight, daughter of homicide victim Andrea Sokolowski, reads her victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing for the Webster City man convicted of second-degree murder for the 2018 death of Sokolowski. Zackery Bassett, 34, was convicted by a Hamilton County jury on Feb. 23 and has been sentenced to up to 50 years in prison.

“What kind of a man beats a woman? A coward,” Foster said, staring at Bassett. “What kind of a man verbally and emotionally abuses a woman? A coward. What kind of man kills his significant other that he supposedly was in love with? A coward. That is all you are now, a coward.”

Sokolowski’s oldest daughter, Denise McKnight, said that when she lost her mother, it felt like she lost a part of herself.

“I went down a dark hole that I’ve slowly been digging myself out of,” she said, then turning her attention to Bassett. “I hope that you are tortured every day by what you have done for taking my mother from us. I hope that you rot in the depths of your own thoughts and that you live with the fact that your fate rests in the hands of God.”

McKnight then read a victim impact statement on behalf of her youngest sister, 14-year-old Faith Sokolowski.

“While you will be rotting in prison, I want you to remember that we will be living a blessed life of freedom, glorifying her life in a positive way,” Faith Sokolowski wrote.

Marie Harvey, an advocate for victims of homicide and violent crimes with the Domestic/Sexual Assault Outreach Center in Fort Dodge, read a victim impact statement on behalf of Hope Sokolowski, Andrea Sokolowski’s 19-year-old daughter.

After the hearing, McKnight said she finally has closure after all this time.

Foster and McKnight said they want their mother to be remembered as more than just a homicide victim, but as someone who was a beautiful person with a bright personality and loving smile.

“She was a light in this world that was dimmed far too soon,” said family friend Kayla Stahlecker.

Bassett was charged with first-degree murder in September 2018 after Sokolowski was found unresponsive in the couple’s Webster City apartment at 639 ½ Second St.

An autopsy by Iowa State Associate Medical Examiner Dr. Michelle Catellier found pinpoint hemorrhages, known as petechiae, scattered around the victim’s eyes, cheeks, forehead, inner eyelids and inner lip. Catellier testified at trial that while she ruled the victim’s manner of death as “undetermined” rather than a homicide, the cause of death was ruled as “consistent with asphyxia,” which can be caused by strangulation.

After a two-week trial and four hours of deliberation, a Hamilton County jury convicted Bassett of second-degree murder on Feb. 23.

While Bassett was charged with first-degree murder, the jury also had the option of convicting him of any of the lesser-included charges of second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, assault causing bodily injury and assault.

Throughout the trial, Bassett’s defense asserted that Sokolowski had died as a result of rough sex and positional asphyxiation.

In March, Bassett filed a motion for a new trial, citing juror misconduct. The motion was denied by District Court Judge Amy Moore in late April.

Bassett will receive credit for the 948 days he’s served in jail while awaiting trial and sentencing.

Bassett has also been ordered to pay the $150,000 civil penalty for the crime of second-degree murder. During the hearing, Moore decided not to waive this Category A restitution, as a portion of any wages Bassett earns while doing any work in prison will be paid to this restitution. The Category B restitution of $20,011.01 to the Crime Victim Assistance Division was waived as it has lower priority than the Category A restitution and Bassett is unlikely to fully pay the $150,000 civil penalty by the end of his sentence.

Defense attorney Michelle Wolf did not have any motions to make during Monday’s hearing, but did give one brief statement before sentencing.

“I maintain everything that I said in my closing argument — I believe that Zackery is not guilty,” she said. “I think that the prior bad acts evidence that was presented in this case were used to prove that he’s a bad guy, and I firmly believe that the jury got it wrong in this case.”