Lebanon Man Convicted of Aggravated Murder in the Shooting Death of Franklin Woman

A Lebanon man, 28, has been found guilty of aggravated murder in the 2023 shooting death of Katelyn Puckett, a 23-year-old woman from Franklin. The verdict follows a two-day trial in Warren County where Elijah Thomas was also convicted on multiple charges, including two counts of murder, felonious assault, and improperly discharging a firearm, according to a news release from the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office,

WLWT

reported.

The court heard that on June 17, 2023, Thomas lay in wait for over 30 minutes before approaching Puckett as she returned to her apartment and then fired nine shots at close range. Several bystanders witnessed this attack. Amongst these fragments of a shattered evening echo with the harsh peal of gunfire, six bullets found their mark in Puckett — all captured on a neighbor’s RING camera, as established by case evidence and as

FOX19

notes.

Puckett succumbed to her injuries despite immediate attempts at life-saving measures by EMS crews. Thomas initially evaded arrest but was detained following a police traffic stop hours after the incident, as confirmed by reports. Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell detailed the events leading to the fateful encounter, including documented violent threats made by Thomas towards Puckett.

The heinous nature of the crime and subsequent guilt ascribed to Thomas mandate a life sentence, with Judge Donald E. Oda II scheduling a sentencing for a later date. During these proceedings, GPS evidence solidified the premeditated nature of this act, adding a grim layer to an already somber series of facts, culminating in this legal conclusion,

WCPO

stated.

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