LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB/WAVE) — A Bullitt County man pleaded guilty Tuesday in a fatal 2025 shooting, but under a plea deal, he is unlikely to spend any time in prison.
Kent Russell, 35, was originally charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection to the fatal shooting 33-year-old Aaron Welker on June 29, 2025, in Shepherdsville, Kentucky.
As part of a plea agreement, Russell's charges were amended to reckless homicide and wanton endangerment.
The recommended sentence under the deal is 10 years, diverted for three years. That means if Russell avoids legal trouble in that period, he will not serve time in prison.
Welker's family said they were informed of the amended charges before Tuesday's court hearing, but they said the outcome does not feel like justice.
"I'm not okay with it," Aaron Welker's mother said. "And I don't understand why that's justice for my son."
The commonwealth’s attorney, Amanda Troutman, however, said the plea deal was the best path forward based on the evidence available.
"The initial officers on scene was Pioneer Village, they attempted to try to work the case," Troutman said. "However, after a couple hours, they realized they were not equipped to handle what would be a death investigation."
The family is calling for statewide standards for homicide investigations, and for preservation of evidence. They wrote an open letter to the Kentucky General Assembly pushing for the "Aaron Welker Act."
"You're taught to put faith in the legal system and I don't think the legal system did what it was supposed to do today," said Jamason Welker, Aaron Welker's brother.
Bullitt County Circuit Judge Rodney Burress accepted Russell's guilty plea. Russell is scheduled to be formally sentenced Aug. 5.
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