After months of searching for Sarah, authorities got a breakthrough when they arrested two of her acquaintances and former classmates.
Even though Sarah Stern’s body was never found, two men, Liam McAtasney and Preston Taylor were captured and charged with her murder.
Liam McAtasney and Preston Taylor were detained on February 1, 2017, in connection with Sarah’s missing person investigation.
As the case progressed into a homicide investigation, McAstney was charged with robbery and murder, while Taylor was arrested for his role as the former’s accomplice.
According to prosecution testimony, McAstney and Taylor plotted Sarah’s robbery and killing months earlier.
The two learned in September 2016 that the late victim got a substantial sum of money from her late mother.
McCartney strangled Sarah on the night she vanished to deprive her of the wealth given to her.
He and Taylor took the victim’s automobile to Shark River and disposed of her corpse in the river to make it look like she had committed suicide.
Taylor, meanwhile, was convicted of robbery and other related offenses for her role as McAstney’s accomplice. McCartney was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release on June 28, 2019, while Taylor was ordered to serve
Sarah’s corpse was never retrieved from Shark River, although her killer and conspirator were both imprisoned. A particular segment of 20/20 chronicles Sarah’s tragedy at the hands of her pals.
