Valentine man sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - A Valentine man was sentenced to life in prison in Cherry County District Court for the 2021 murder of 52-year-old Ruth Wittmuss.

A judge sentenced 27-year-old Kevin Kilmer to life in prison for first-degree murder and an additional 10 to 14 years for the use of a weapon to commit a felony.

In August 2021, the Cherry County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a disturbance in Kilgore. Law enforcement sought the public’s assistance to locate two people believed to have been involved.

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol had found Kilmer hiding in a wooded area and took him into custody. He was transported to the hospital in Valentine for medical clearance due to extreme temperatures.

That same day, Wittmuss, was found deceased of an apparent homicide.

After further investigation, NSP arrested and lodged Kilmer in Cherry County Jail.

The case was investigated by the Cherry County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, with the assistance of the Valentine Police Department and other local agencies. The Cherry County Attorney’s Office and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case.