Debora Kelly Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her? – Let’s find out. When a man in San Antonio shoots his wife, he claims that he mistook her for an intruder. The jury judged Lars not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter and sentenced him to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Authorities rushed to a house in San Antonio, Texas, after receiving a panicked 911 call in October 2015. Debora Kelly was discovered with a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead shortly after. Lars Itzo, her husband, was the only other person in the house when the police arrived.
Debora’s story and the subsequent trial are explored in-depth on NBC News’ ‘Dateline: The Silhouette.’ So, if you’re wondering what happened to her and who was to blame, we’ve got you covered.
Recommended: Where is Lars Itzo Now?
Debora Kelly’s Cause of Death
Debora Anne Kelly, a Kansas native, has been living in San Antonio for two years with her husband Lars Itzo. The 48-year-old was Vice President of National Surgical Healthcare and spent a lot of time on the job, which required her to travel regularly. She was noted as having a strong personality and being goal-oriented. Lars dialled 911 shortly after 4 a.m. on October 10, 2015.
Debora had a significant gunshot wound to her chest when first responders arrived at the couple’s house. She was shot from a distance of 3-4 feet with a 20-gauge sawed-off shotgun. Debora was pronounced dead at the site despite resuscitation efforts. Lars was identified as the shooter almost immediately by the authorities. However, the cause for firing the weapon became essential, as the police did not believe his version of events.
Who Killed Debora Kelly and Why?
Lars was immediately arrested and questioned. He informed the cops that he went to bed at midnight and was awoken at 4 a.m. by noises and their dog growling. Lars grabbed up his sawed-off shotgun and went to check the bedroom doorway, thinking someone was trying to break in. “I get up, see a light, hear people chatting, and the next thing I know, there’s someone in front of me, and I shoot,” he explained.
Lars then went to get his 9mm handgun after failing to reload the shotgun. Lars claimed to have heard the moaning at this time and recognised the person he shot was his wife, Debora. He claimed he notified her before getting out of bed because he believed she was still in bed with him. “I never wanted to hurt my wife, ever,” Lars continued. “I was deeply in love with my wife.”
Lars called 911 shortly after and could be heard crying and breathing heavily. He followed the dispatcher’s CPR instructions and was heard placing a plastic bag over the incision to stem the bleeding. The authorities, on the other hand, believed Lars was lying.
They thought his anguish was artificial, and they assumed he didn’t try to aid Debora. Lars didn’t appear to be covered in blood when the cops came, and there were no bloody tracks near the body.
Lars, then 49 years old, was put on trial in December 2016. The prosecution did not present a specific reason, but stated that he was unhappy with his wife’s wealth. The defence, on the other hand, claimed that Lars was merely trying to protect his wife and that no intent to kill existed.
He also didn’t have any gunshot residue on his hands. The jury found Lars not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter and sentenced him to 15 years in prison and $10,000 fine for Debora Kelly murder.
