Joshua Thompson admitted killing Kaitlynn Lee, a 25-year-old mother of three, after police said he watched her from outside a window.

NEW ALBANY, Ind. — Joshua Thompson was sentenced to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder in the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend, Kaitlynn Lee, who was killed in 2024 while filming a video inside a New Albany apartment.

The sentence closed the main criminal case nearly two years after Lee, 25, was shot through a kitchen window at a home on Village Drive. Thompson, also 25, had first pleaded not guilty, but court records later showed he requested a change of plea hearing. At that hearing, he admitted to murder. The judge ordered the 45-year sentence to run at the same time as a domestic violence sentence tied to the case.

The killing happened about 5 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2024, while Lee was at a friend’s apartment. Police said Lee and the friend were in the kitchen, laughing, dancing and lip-syncing to a song as they recorded a video. Then they heard banging at the kitchen window. Lee turned toward the sound and saw Thompson outside. According to court documents, she asked, “What are you doing here?” Moments later, police said, Thompson fired through the glass. The video reviewed by investigators showed smoke hanging in the room before it shut off. Lee was struck in the head and later died.

Investigators said the video became a key piece of evidence because it showed the moments before and during the shooting. The friend who was with Lee told police that Thompson was the person at the window and said Lee had warned her before that if she were ever found dead, Thompson would be responsible. Police said a handgun and a spent shell casing were found outside the window. Thompson later told investigators that he had driven to the apartment to see whether Lee was with other men, according to the probable cause affidavit. He also admitted that he knew a no-contact order was in place.

That order had been issued after an April 2024 incident involving Lee and Thompson. Prosecutors said the order was meant to keep him away from Lee and prevent more conflict. Court documents described the former couple’s relationship as toxic and said they were often at odds. Thompson was the father of one of Lee’s children, according to police and local reports. Authorities said children were inside the apartment when the shooting happened, though the public records did not state that any child was physically hurt. The shooting turned a private dispute into a murder case that drew attention across the region because it happened while Lee was being recorded.

After the shooting, police said Thompson contacted his brother and was crying and distraught. His brother told investigators that Thompson said he had shot the mother of his child and asked what he should do. Thompson then called 911 and told a dispatcher he had shot Lee, according to the affidavit. When officers interviewed him, police said, Thompson admitted going to the friend’s apartment, watching from outside and pulling the trigger. He was arrested and charged with murder, criminal recklessness by shooting into a building, unlawful carrying of a handgun and invasion of privacy for violating the protective order.

Floyd County Prosecutor Chris Lane said after the plea and sentence that the case showed why domestic violence cases are treated as serious threats. “Our job is to use the laws of Indiana to seek righteousness and to protect our community, and that’s what we did today,” Lane said. In earlier comments after the killing, Lane said such allegations can lead to tragic results. His office secured the murder conviction through the guilty plea, avoiding a trial that would have likely centered on the video, the witness account, the protective order and Thompson’s statements to police.

Lee’s family and friends described her as a mother whose death left three children without her. An obituary said she was survived by her children, her mother, a brother and other relatives. A fundraising page started after her death said money would help pay for funeral costs and support expenses tied to her children. The page said Lee “didn’t deserve what happened to her,” and that her children would have to grow up without their mother. Funeral services were held in New Albany after the shooting.

Thompson spoke in court before the judge imposed the sentence. “To all Kaitlynn’s friends and family, I just want to say that I’m truly sorry for my actions,” he said. “I hope one day you can find it in your hearts to forgive me.” The apology came after prosecutors had laid out the facts of the case and after Thompson admitted guilt. The court did not erase the other details that shaped the case, including the protective order, the early morning visit to the apartment and the shot fired through the window.

Thompson has already spent about 21 months in jail since his arrest. The Indiana Department of Correction will calculate how much time he must serve under state rules. His 45-year sentence stands as the final court punishment in the murder case unless later appeals or post-conviction filings are made.

Author note: Last updated June 1, 2026.