Karen Sons, the Porter Township woman sentenced in September to 65 years in prison for the murder of her live-in boyfriend Robert Head in their home in December 2017, has filed an appeal with the Indiana Court of Appeals seeking to reduce her sentence by 14 years.
Sons filed the appeal on Jan. 31 via her attorney Nathaniel Henson of Rhame, Elwood, and McClure. “In instances where a sentence is excessive, this court can revise a sentence to a more appropriate outcome,” the notice of appeal reads.
Sons was sentenced on Sept. 26 by Porter Superior Court Judge Michael Fish. He imposed a sentence of 55 years for murder, a Level 1 felony, and an additional 10 years for an enhancement for a firearm used in the commission of the offense.
The appeal includes a chart showing the maximum sentence for murder in Indiana may range from 45 to 65 years, and the maximum sentence for the enhancement may range from five to 20 years.
The appeal argues the sentence was inappropriate and excessive considering the offense’s nature and the offender’s character. “The relevant background, based upon trial record/testimony indicated that the defendant and victim had been in an argumentative relationship,” the appeal reads. “The victim had been physically abusive to the defendant on previous occasions, for which police intervention has been required.”
Police were called to the home on California Avenue on Dec. 10, 2017. In an interview with police Sons stated that Head was drinking two days prior and upset and threatened to kill her and himself.
She said he had a .22 Colt pistol she had never seen before so she grabbed her .22 caliber rifle. Sons told police Head pointed the pistol at her so she pointed her rifle at him, heard a click, and shot him.
She didn’t call police for two days and they did not find Head’s body in the open concept kitchen/living room where she said she shot him, but in a bedroom. The medical examiner who performed the autopsy testified Head was shot from behind and ruled his death a homicide.
Jurors found Sons guilty on Aug. 21 after a few hours of deliberation.
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.