14-Year-Old Boy Sentenced To 10 Years For Dad’s Murder

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A 14-year-old boy from Colorado who admitted shooting his father dead and then concealing the death by calling the man’s work for five days to say his dad was ill was sentenced to 10 years in prison, prosecutors has said. Reuters report:

Kai Kelly, who was 13 at the time of the slaying in May, pleaded guilty this week to the first-degree murder of his father, Joseph Kelly, and to attempted criminal extortion, Eagle County District Attorney Bruce Brown said in a statement.

Under a plea deal reached with prosecutors, the boy will serve seven years in juvenile detention for the murder and three years in adult prison for the extortion charge, the statement said

Authorities uncovered the killing after the elder Kelly, 50, missed several days of work in the mountain town of Gypsum, about 105 miles (169 km) west of Denver. Kai Kelly called the man’s employer several days in a row to say his dad was ill and would not make it to work, police said.

Joseph Kelly’s co-workers became suspicious about the lengthy absences and contacted police. Deputies who went to the home the pair shared found the man dead from two gunshot wounds fired from a .22-caliber rifle.