A 73-year-old woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for stabbing her elderly husband to death following a domestic dispute at their Colorado assisted living facility. Kathy Lawton was found guilty of second-degree murder in the December trial for the death of her 85-year-old husband, Larry Lawton. The incident occurred at the Bonaventure Assisted Living Center in Pueblo, approximately 110 miles south of Denver.

The tragic event unfolded on November 24, 2024, when Kathy Lawton, in a state of distress and covered in blood, rushed to the front desk of the facility to report her husband’s death. Staff immediately called emergency services and hurried to the Lawton’s apartment, where they discovered Larry Lawton on the floor with multiple stab wounds to his chest, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene.

Police noted that Kathy Lawton was under the influence of alcohol and struggled to provide a consistent explanation of the events leading to her husband’s death. Initially, she claimed that her husband had fallen and refused to get up. She did, however, admit that both had been drinking and had a heated argument, though she could not recall the details.

Evidence at the scene suggested a violent altercation had taken place in the apartment. Authorities recovered a blood-stained knife that appeared to have been partially cleaned, and Larry Lawton’s body bore several defensive wounds.

Facility staff informed the police that Kathy Lawton had a history of assaulting her husband. Larry had previously appeared with scratches and bruises, which he attributed to clumsiness. Following earlier incidents, staff had removed a gun and kitchen knives from the couple’s home to prevent further harm.

Staff at the facility also told cops that Kathy Lawton had previously assaulted her husband. He had scratches and bruises on his body but he chalked it up to being “clumsy,” cops wrote. Staff also previously removed a gun and kitchen knives from their apartment.

After the suspect signed a Miranda agreement to speak with detectives, her first thought was apparently not about her husband. Instead, she asked the detective if he owned any pets. She told him she had two cats.

Speaking about her husband’s death, she said she discovered his body when he didn’t come to bed and she went to check on him. She said she worked as a paramedic and knew he was deceased when she saw him because “he had dead eyes.” She said she had become frustrated with him in recent weeks because he recently had back surgery, which made him weaker, and he was not rehabbing properly.

Cops arrested Kathy Lawton and charged her with murder.

“Our community deserves accountability in all cases but especially in cases where a vulnerable victim is targeted. 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,” 10th Judicial District Attorney Kala Beauvais said in a statement.