A man has been found guilty of killing his 20-year-old girlfriend.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced that action by his office resulted in a guilty verdict against a man charged with killing his girlfriend, 20-year-old Kylie Marie Weitz Willis, of Garrison (Lewis Co.).
On Tuesday, a Lewis County jury found 23-year-old Damien Hebbeler guilty of intentional murder. The jury recommended a 50-year sentence, according to the attorney general’s office
On August 9, 2023, Hebbeler intentionally shot and killed Willis at close range.
“At trial, Hebbeler said he carried a special bullet with him, which was the same round used to shoot the victim in the face and kill her,” the attorney general’s office said.
Less than a year before the shooting, the defendant made statements that he wanted to kill Willis.
“Today’s jury verdict delivers hard-won justice and affirms that Kylie Marie Weitz Willis’ life mattered,” Coleman said. “In Kentucky, we take domestic violence crimes seriously, and we will continue to hold offenders accountable.”
Kentucky State Police investigated the case.
Hebbeler will be formally sentenced on June 5.
(Photo l-r: Kylie Marie Weitz Willis, courtesy of Globe Family Funeral Chapel & Cremation Services; Damien Hebbeler)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
