Two Cedar City men were sentenced in connection to the drive-by shooting that killed KayLee Dutton in January. Both men received maximum sentences for first-degree felony murder charges of the 17-year-old.
Ethan Galloway, 24, and Michael Hess-Witucki, 23, previously plead guilty to the charges. Hess-Witucki admitted to firing the weapon and Galloway admitted to driving the vehicle that followed Dutton. Hess-Witucki fired 12 rounds into the side of the truck Dutton was driving before she crashed into a fence.
The two men pursued Dutton’s truck for several miles out of west Cedar City, later telling police they believed Dutton and the passenger were stalking them. Hess-Witucki fired into the truck near Three Peaks before fleeing the scene. Dutton’s friend then called 911.
First responders performed life saving measures on Dutton before transferring her to Cedar City Hospital where she later passed away.
Galloway spoke at the sentencing to the Dutton family.
“I wish I could face the family right now while I say this,” he said. “No amount of words I can say will ever change what happened or make things right. And I don’t expect forgiveness ever.”
Dutton’s family and Judge Meb Anderson were emotional in the courtroom as the sentences were announced. Dutton’s grandmother spoke to the defendants at the sentencing.
“Ethan, my granddaughter was not yours to take,” she said. “The thing about Kaylee was, if you would have approached her in everyday life, she would have been kind to you.”
Anderson ordered their sentences to run consecutively, which translates to a minimum of 20 years for Hess-Witucki and 40 years for Galloway.
Author: Hannah Clove
Photos courtesy of St George News
Editor: Heather Turner
