Kentucky Jury Convicts Damien Hebbeler for Fatal Close Range Shooting of Kylie Weitz Using Special Bullet

A jury finds Damien Hebbeler guilty of the 2023 murder of Kylie Weitz, recommending 50 years after evidence of a premeditated shooting surfaced.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 30, 2026, 3:49 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from People

The Final Verdict in a Chilling Domestic Homicide

The legal proceedings against Damien Hebbeler concluded this week as a Kentucky jury delivered a guilty verdict for the August 2023 murder of Kylie Weitz. According to Attorney General Russell Coleman, the 23 year old defendant was convicted of intentionally discharging a firearm at close range, ending the life of his girlfriend inside a residence in Garrison. The conviction follows a trial that detailed the violent nature of the encounter, which authorities have firmly classified as a deliberate act of domestic homicide rather than the accident initially reported to emergency dispatchers.

Deceptive Initial Reports and the Subsequent Investigation

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting on August 9, 2023, the narrative surrounding the event was clouded by conflicting information. Early reports from the scene indicated that the initial 911 caller suggested Weitz had accidentally shot herself, a claim that was quickly scrutinized by investigators from the Kentucky State Police. Within hours of the incident, law enforcement officials gathered enough evidence to place Hebbeler under arrest. The transition from an alleged self inflicted wound to a murder investigation highlighted the rapid work of local detectives in uncovering the reality of the confrontation.

The Premeditated Nature of the Special Ammunition

One of the most harrowing elements presented during the trial involved the specific ammunition used in the crime. Hebbeler admitted to carrying a "special bullet" with him, which was the exact round used to strike the victim in the face. This detail, emphasized by the Attorney General, pointed toward a calculated intent rather than a heat of the moment escalation. According to investigators, the defendant had even made statements nearly a year prior to the shooting expressing a desire to kill Weitz, suggesting that the violence was the culmination of a long standing and dangerous fixation.