Justice is Served

Woman gets 13 years for DUI manslaughter

By LEE WILLIAMS
Correspondent

Published: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 6:20 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 6:20 p.m.

SARASOTA - Missa L. Billib was driving drunk — more than twice the legal limit — the night of Nov. 6, 2009, when she left Hoosier's Bar in Osprey and drove into the path of two oncoming motorcyclists.

One rider managed to avoid the collision.

The other, Robert K. "Kenny" Sheaffer, 57, a postal worker and married father of three, was not so lucky.

Sheaffer tried to stop, left more than 38 feet of skid marks, overturned without striking Billib's 2008 Chevy Tahoe and was thrown from his 2005 Harley Davidson.

The accident left Sheaffer brain dead. He died 13 days later, after his family made the difficult decision to remove him from life support.

Billib was convicted of DUI-related manslaughter earlier this month after a three-day trial.

Tuesday, Circuit Court Judge Charles E. Roberts sentenced Billib to 13 years in prison followed by 10 years of probation, just two years shy of the 15-year maximum sought by the prosecution and Sheaffer's family.

"Fifteen years is an extremely small price to pay for taking my dad's life," Sheaffer's daughter Jenny told the judge.

Court documents show Billib, 45, has had previous arrests for DUI, battery, habitually driving with a suspended license and grand theft from a victim over 65 years of age.

She did not testify during her trial, but told the courtroom Tuesday she was sorry for what she had done and that she had been in an abusive relationship.

"I somehow became an alcoholic myself. I can only imagine how you feel," she said. "Through these past two years I have suffered a lot too."

Sheaffer had worked for the U.S. Postal Service for more than 25 years. He married Margaret, his high school sweetheart, in 1971. The couple had one son, Kenny Jr., 41, and twin daughters Jenny and Jeannie, who are 37.

"He was a wonderful guy who worked his butt off for me and our three kids," Margaret Sheaffer said. "He would do anything for anybody. If he became your friend, you'd be friends for life."

Sheaffer also said her husband's death has forever changed her.

"I lost my partner, the love of my life. I don't feel safe going anyplace," she said. "I haven't been out of the house in two years, except a couple times. I don't want to go to church or to meet new people. I'm having a real hard time of it."

Kenny Sheaffer Jr., was satisfied with the sentence because of what Billib put his family through, especially the decision to remove his father from life support.

"She's had a previous DUI and other arrests, so obviously babying her isn't working," he said. "It wasn't her right to take my father away. She acted like judge, jury and executioner."

The Sheaffer family has filed a civil suit against Billib and Hoosier's Bar. The case is pending.

Missa L. Billib