Evesham man, already in jail for murder, sentenced for kidnapping

A 23-year-old Evesham man who recently began a life prison term for murder and other violent crimes was sentenced to 15 years in prison today in Camden County Superior Court for attempted kidnapping.

Christopher Kornberger's sentence was in line with his July 14 plea agreement, in which he said he was guilty of attempting to kidnap Renee Basile on her Waterford driveway in 2003. Prosecutors dropped charges of attempted aggravated sexual assault and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Basile was the first of five South Jersey women Kornberger would attack that year. He was convicted in Burlington County Superior Court in March of murdering and raping Krista DiFrancesco and attempting to kidnap Elisabeth Loetzner-Jung. He pleaded guilty just before the trial of attempting to murder Nancy "Kim" Clark.

At the time of his conviction, he was serving an 18-year sentence for attacking another Waterford woman.

Basile testified that Kornberger came after her with box cutters on her driveway, and that she was able to overwhelm him in the 1 ½ minute struggle that ensued. Kornberger, a teenager at the time of the attack, ran away.

In court today, Basile recalled, sometimes through tears, how she had been "fighting for my life." Her husband, then inside the house, had not heard or responded to her screams, nor had her neighbors.

"That made me lose faith in my fellow man," said Basile, recounting how the couple has since divorced and how she had lost her ability to trust in others and feel safe.

Asked by Judge Samuel D. Natal whether he wished to say anything, Kornberger said, "I don't think it's a good time for me to speak."

The judge pressed him again.

"Based on what I've heard and what I've read," Kornberger replied, "I don't think I can provide the closure this woman needs."