DeHart Given 110 Years In Syracuse Murders
WARSAW — The remainder of 24-year-old Kyle David DeHart’s life will be spent behind bars unless he wins an appeals case with Indiana Court of Appeals.
DeHart was sentenced this morning by Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed to 55 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections for the murder of Joshua Randall Knisley. He was also sentenced to 55 years in the DOC for the murder of Tara Lynn Thornburg. The sentences will be served consecutive (one right after the other). A sentence of one year in the DOC for obstruction of justice will be served concurrently (at the same time).
Under the new Indiana sentencing law, DeHart will serve 75 percent of his time before being eligible for parole. That is 41 years and three months per count or 82½ years.
DeHart will, however, have a court appointed attorney file an appeal on his behalf within the next 30 days.
Only two seats were empty in a courtroom that can hold 64 spectators. Family and friends of both victims were present for the sentencing. Also present was DeHart’s father, Scott DeHart, and a handful of staff from the prosecutor’s office and sheriff’s department.
Reed called the crime heinous and found it hard to issue a statement on the record relating to the sentence. “I hazard to say no matter what I say, I don’t want to take away from the gravity of the crime.” Reed called the acts cold blooded premeditated murder that took the lives of two young people in Kosciusko County. “I can’t make sense out of a senseless act,” said Reed.
DeHart’s criminal history as a juvenile and adult were noted by Reed as part of the multiple aggravating circumstances, noting incarceration had not detoured his conduct. Reed noted the four pending cases against DeHart at the time of the murder and a failure to appear six days prior to the Feb 19, 2015, act.
“These are two separate murders, two separate lives taken senselessly and violently for the court to fail to demonstrate that fact … court simply won’t do that,” stated Reed. It was also noted the presentence investigation report indicated DeHart was at a high risk to reoffend.
Prior to issuing the sentences Dan Hampton, county prosecutor, informed the court Rhonda Bickel, mother of Knisley wished to address the court. Placing a photograph of her son and with her husband, Gary, by her side, Mrs. Bickel addressed the court and addressed DeHart.
“I am the proud mother of Joshua Randall Knisley,” she stated referring to the day he was born and telling him the first time “I love you so much” and the last time she told her son that, the day of his funeral. “His face was not flawless, his skin was not soft … that was the last time I would see him, touch him and tell him how much I loved him.”
She told of how her only child’s life was ripped away and what the murder has done to her and her family. “He was my only child, judge,” she stated. “He was my world, my whole life, what I breathed for.” She went on to state the type of son he was and what many at the visitation had told her about her son. “It’s important to know he was a fine young man, he loved people …” He also had a huge faith in God.
“He was not doing anything Kyle, he was sleeping. Why was he killed execution style? What kind of animal does that?” she asked. She referenced DeHart’s criminal acts prior to the murders — several charges of battery causing bodily injury; burglary with a deadly weapon — “six open criminal court cases, all of them committed with Brandon Woody.”
Addressing DeHart, she noted his child and that he knows what it is like to hold that child. “What kind of an example are you setting for her? Your daughter can visit you in prison if she decides to do so. If she’s asked about her father what will she say? What about your younger brother? You were to be a big brother and set an example.” She attacked DeHart’s parents, noting she struggled with what to say, but stated she did not understand why a parent would lie for their child or cover up actions, or condone their actions.
“Josh’s murder has taken everything from me,” she stated “Life feels like it has lost all meaning.”
She asked the court to give DeHart full punishment in accordance with the law, allowing him to serve 65 years. “Consecutive is the key word,” she said. “I don’t want any other mother or family to go through this the rest of their life, so no one else will ever suffer. One last thing I want to ask you (to DeHart) if your child was laying in that grave, what would you feel is justice enough?”
Before turning the matter over to the judge, Hampton asked the families of both victims to stand while he read excerpts from letters sent to the court. “With the family I stand before you to sentence Kyle DeHart to the most the law allows, not only for the family but for our community.”