The woman who allegedly shot her boyfriend at their home in Knox appeared in Starke Circuit Court for an initial hearing this morning. Kathleen Holt pleaded not guilty to one count of murder, which carries a sentence of 45 to 65 years if she is convicted of that charge.
Holt was arrested Wednesday afternoon after she reportedly called the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and announced that she shot her boyfriend, Ron Worker. Worker was alive when emergency personnel arrived at the couple’s home at 1740 S. 550 E. in Knox, but he later died of his injuries at IU Health Starke Hospital. Worker sustained a single gunshot wound and Starke County Coroner Kris Rannells has revealed that the preliminary cause of death is exsanguination, or blood loss. The final autopsy results are pending with the North East Indiana Forensic Center Pathologist, Dr. Pramod Carpenter.
Lead detective in this case, Kenny Pfost of the Starke County Sheriff’s Department, said Holt and Worker just recently moved to the Knox area from Lake County and had been in a relationship for approximately six years. Neighbors have indicated no evidence of violence and Pfost said neither had any prior record of violent behavior. After interrogating Holt, Pfost said no concrete information revealed a motive for the shooting.
This case remains under investigation with the Starke County Sheriff’s Department.
