Pueblo woman who stabbed husband to death in senior living home sentenced to 20 years in prison
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – A Pueblo woman found guilty of stabbing her husband to death inside a senior living facility in December 2024 has been sentenced to serve 20 years in prison, the 10th Judicial District Attorney's Office announced Friday.
The sentencing comes after 73-year-old Kathy Lawton was found guilty of the second-degree murder of her husband, Larry, last December following a two-day court trial.
On Nov. 24, 2024, Pueblo Police were called to the Bonaventure Senior Living Facility on a report of a deceased man. There, they found 85-year-old Larry Lawton on the floor, with multiple stab wounds and bruises. A bloody knife was located on a table nearby.
According to arrest records, officers reported his wife, Kathy, had blood on her face, hands and pants. They also noted that she smelled like alcohol and appeared intoxicated.
Arrest documents revealed neighbors in the facility had overheard Larry and Kathy fighting at around 4 p.m. that day. Less than two hours later, Kathy was found screaming in the lobby about her husband's death.
When the Bonaventure staff asked Kathy what had happened, she allegedly blamed her husband's death on "old age," records show. However, when police arrived, Kathy told them her husband had fallen and hadn't gotten back up.
On Jan. 30, Lawton was sentenced to 20 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections, followed by five years of mandatory parole.
According to the DA's office, Deputy District Attorney Erik Walser argued for a sentence of 32 years, noting that Kathy had pending domestic violence criminal charges for assaulting Larry months before the murder. Those charges were dismissed after Larry was killed before the case could proceed to trial.
"Our community deserves accountability in all cases but especially in cases where a vulnerable victim is
targeted," 10th Judicial District Attorney Kala Beauvais said. "While no sentence can undo the harm caused by this defendant, today’s sentence affirms the District Attorney’s commitment to pursuing justice with diligence and resolve."
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