Kentucky man sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing Campbellsville student in 2024
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – Charles Escalera has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty in connection with the killing of 18-year-old Campbellsville student Josiah Malachi Kilman.
Escalera entered a guilty plea as part of a plea agreement on June 28. During a sentencing hearing on July 30, Escalera gave an apology statement in court before receiving his sentence, LEX News in court reported.
He was sentenced to 40 years in prison with credit for time served and will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years.
In 2024, Escalera previously appeared in court by Zoom, where Campbellsville Police Detective Jeremy Burton testified about the investigation into Kilman’s death.
During that hearing, Burton testified that Escalera admitted to killing Kilman. A judge later found probable cause in the case, allowing it to move forward to a grand jury.
