KALISPELL – (AP) An Evergreen man convicted of killing a woman and then shooting himself in the face was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in prison.
Kenton Weimer, 19, also must pay more than $10,000 in restitution, District Judge Ted Lympus ruled.
Weimer pleaded guilty in November to mitigated deliberate homicide for causing the May 1 death of Tarisia Caron, 18, also of Evergreen.
“This has been just devastating,” Caron’s mother, Sherri, said. “I’m angry with you more than anything because I had let you into my home and I thought you were an OK person.”
Caron died from a 12-gauge shotgun wound to her head. Prosecutors said Weimer shot himself with the same gun, seriously damaging his jaw and the lower part of his face.
He was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle hours after authorities found him next to Caron’s body in the yard of the home he shared with his father, Rick Weimer, and Vicki Gunderson.
Weimer’s attorney, Thane Johnson, asked the court to impose a 40-year prison sentence with 20 years suspended and no parole restrictions. He read a statement to the court prepared by Weimer.
“All I can do is express my deepest sorrows and tell everyone I’m truly sorry,” the statement read. “I truly did love Tarisia and I miss her as much as anybody. … I’d trade my life for hers if I could.”
Weimer won’t be eligible for parole until he serves 20 years of his prison term.