John Carter has been sentenced to 36 months in jail for the death of his former fiancee, Katelyn Markham, in 2011. This is the maximum sentence that could be imposed on him. The ruling was made in Hamilton, Ohio, by the court.
Thursday afternoon saw a packed courtroom as the sentence was handed down.
In the picture, we can see John Carter arriving at court on Friday, June 7, 2024, to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the tragic death of his fiancée. The photograph was taken by Court TV, and it captures the solemnity of the moment as Carter faces the consequences of his actions.
In June, Carter admitted to the charge of involuntary manslaughter, shortly before his scheduled trial.
According to Carter’s attorneys who spoke with Scripps News Cincinnati, his guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter indicates that he acknowledges his accidental involvement in Markham’s death while he was committing a misdemeanor assault. Although the attorneys did not specify the type of misdemeanor assault, the admission of guilt remains.
In March 2023, Carter was indicted by a grand jury after a thorough review conducted by investigators from the county prosecutor’s office.
After his indictment, he posted a $1 million bond and has been free since his arraignment in April 2023.
They have ruled her death as a homicide, but the exact cause of her passing is yet to be determined.
At the time of Carter’s arraignment, evidence was presented by Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser. This evidence included documents that were obtained through a search warrant, which had been executed shortly before Carter’s indictment.
During Monday’s court hearing, Gmoser read out loud various writings about killing and death that were discovered in Carter’s residence.
“Deep down, I love her.
You want to kill her, but I love her.
She must die.
I can’t kill her.
Yes, you can,” one of the documents read.
According to the prosecutor, Markham’s wrist showed evidence of sharp instrumental trauma, as per a forensic anthropology report.
According to Gmoser, the papers discovered at Carter’s residence lacked any date.
During her disappearance, Carter actively helped the police and volunteers with their search efforts for several years. In an interview with WCPO 9 in August 2011, he expressed his deep fear and concern over the situation.
During that time, he expressed optimism that Markham had the ability to “fight her way out” if she was in a location, as he believed she was strong.
In the same month, during an interview with Scripps News Cincinnati, Carter expressed no concern when asked about being interviewed by the police.
Carter expressed his unwavering commitment to cooperation in the search for Katelyn, stating, “I know that I’m more than cooperative and I will always be cooperative until we get Katelyn back.”
Felicia Jordan and Molly Schramm wrote this story for Scripps News Cincinnati, an E.W. Scripps Company.
