Judge sentences man who killed 23-year-old Warren Co. mother

The video above is from a previous broadcast of FOX19 NOW.

WARREN COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) – A convicted murderer who fired several shots at a Warren County woman in 2023 was sentenced to prison on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

Warren County Common Pleas Court Judge Donald Oda II sentenced the 28-year-old Elijah Thomas 41-56 years of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole for murder Katelyn Puckett, 23.

Aggravated murder charge (counts 1, 2, 3, and 4 combined): 30 years to life in prison with possibility of parole
- Possessing weapon characteristics: Three years in prison
Improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation (count 5): Four to six years in prison
- Possessing the characteristics of a weapon: Imprisonment from four to nine years

Prosecutors were seeking a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole as an adequate form of justice.

“Life without parole is the most hopeless punishment,” Judge Oda told Thomas, reminding the courtroom that he had previously sentenced two people to death. “In my view, life without parole is the worst of these punishments, which means you wake up every day in prison knowing that you will never get out and that you have no hope.”

Thomas has already served 429 days in prison, which will contribute to the remainder of his long sentence.

Tuesday’s sentencing was emotional for Puckett’s family because they would learn the fate of their loved one’s killer. The victim’s mother had a statement read aloud in the courtroom by the victim’s attorney representative.

“Katie leaves behind so many people who love and miss her. Personally, I am disturbed by this situation. My only daughter, my best friend. Not a single day goes by that I don’t think about him; that I don’t cry or ask, ‘From where?’ How could someone who was supposed to love my daughter do something so terrible? For me there is no amount ‘I am sad’ This might make me feel different. I’m sorry, it’s not an action that can be changed or corrected in my opinion. Katie is gone. NO ‘I am sad’ He could bring her back. I miss my daughter. “I don’t think I started to grieve properly because of the anxiety and stress of the trial.”

The 23-year-old mother was described as a smart woman who loved everyone and cared about other people. Her mother said she always wanted to be a mother and that it was her “greatest achievement in life.”

According to his mother, Puckett leaves behind two children aged three and one, two brothers, several nieces and nephews, his parents and many more.

“The next two victims come as a package deal,” he continued, naming the children Puckett and Thomas share. “These two innocent babies definitely do not deserve the hand life has dealt them. “No matter how much we all normalize their lives, they will always carry the burden of their father killing their mother.”

Judge Oda gave Thomas the opportunity to make a final statement before sentencing.

First, he announced that he wanted to appeal the conviction due to “incompetence of counsel.” He says it’s a discovery he’s never seen before.

Thomas later addressed the family and expressed his regret for what he had done.

“I also want to apologize to the family. “I know apologizing won’t bring him back,” Thomas said in a shaky voice. “I never wanted this to happen. I wish I could go back in time…none of this would have happened. I was literally two days away from proposing to her; I wish I had the chance to do that.”

On June 17, 2023, Thomas was at Puckett’s apartment in Franklin waiting for him to return, the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office wrote in a previous press release.

GPS evidence showed that Thomas “was waiting for over 30 minutes” Before Puckett came home.

When she arrived at the scene, Thomas approached her, shot her nine times at close range in front of witnesses, and then fled the scene, the prosecution said.

Franklin police said Puckett was shot six times and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The family told prosecutors that Thomas made numerous violent threats to the victim in the days before the shooting.

Thomas and his defense said they are appealing the sentence. They have 30 days to appeal the decision.

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