A judge cited evidence of planning before Steven Kurzinger killed Alexandra Kurzinger one night before a scheduled custody hearing.

CHARDON, Ohio — An Ohio man who pleaded guilty to aggravated murder in the killing of his former wife was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after a judge concluded the crime was planned rather than an impulsive act.

Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge Matt Rambo imposed the sentence Aug. 5 on Steven Kurzinger, 37, for the June 25, 2025, killing of Alexandra Kurzinger, 37, outside the Chardon home where she was living. The former spouses, who had five children together, were scheduled to appear in Lake County Common Pleas Court the next day for a hearing involving custody of their children. Kurzinger pleaded guilty to aggravated murder on June 17, ending the prospect of a trial but leaving the length of his prison term for Rambo to decide.

The sentencing hearing focused heavily on evidence prosecutors said showed advance planning. Chardon Police Lt. Matthew Delisa testified that investigators determined Kurzinger had obtained a handgun from a pawnshop about a week before the killing. Police also recovered messages between the former spouses from the day Alexandra Kurzinger died. In one exchange, Steven Kurzinger asked to stop by and discuss holiday arrangements before the court hearing. He wrote that they had both “come a long way” and that he hoped they could co-parent better. Alexandra agreed to talk but said she would leave the conversation if it turned into yelling or name-calling.

Prosecutors presented the messages alongside surveillance footage, location information and other evidence tracing Kurzinger’s movements that evening. Alexandra told him they could speak in her driveway rather than go for a drive or meet elsewhere. After the two initially spoke, surveillance evidence showed Steven Kurzinger leaving the area and driving to a Sheetz station in Chardon. Delisa testified that Kurzinger entered a restroom there and left several minutes later without buying anything. He then returned toward Alexandra’s home. At 9:10 p.m., according to evidence presented in court, he sent her a short message: “I’m back.”

A nearby camera recorded the sound of gunfire about a minute later. Authorities said Alexandra Kurzinger was struck by two shots outside the residence. Investigators concluded from the scene and ballistic evidence that one of the shots was fired at close range after she had already fallen. Rambo referred to that sequence while explaining why he was imposing the most severe prison term available in the case. He said the evidence showed that Kurzinger had acquired the weapon, brought it with him and returned to the house after having an opportunity to leave.

Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz made a similar argument at sentencing. He said the timing of the killing, coming hours before the former spouses were due in court, was significant and argued that Steven Kurzinger had formed a plan to prevent Alexandra from attending the hearing. Flaiz emphasized that Kurzinger drove away after the first meeting but chose to return. The prosecutor characterized the second visit as the completion of a deliberate plan rather than a confrontation that suddenly became deadly.

The state’s presentation also included evidence from Kurzinger’s phone. Alexandra had been saved in his contacts under her first name followed by a crude insulting nickname. Prosecutors used that fact as part of the broader record surrounding the former couple’s strained relationship, while the court’s sentencing decision centered on the conduct leading directly to the killing. Lake County court records showed years of divorce-related litigation between the two, and a hearing had been set for June 26, 2025, one day after Alexandra’s death.

The investigation moved quickly after the shooting. A neighbor reported hearing gunfire and seeing a woman down near the doorway of a nearby home. Chardon officers arrived and Alexandra Kurzinger was pronounced dead. Authorities issued an alert for Steven Kurzinger and his vehicle. Police said he drove to a residence on Ravenna Road after the killing and told people there that he had killed his former wife. Lake County deputies took him into custody less than an hour after the shooting. Police said the suspected weapon was in his vehicle.

Kurzinger was initially charged with murder and held on a $5 million bond. A Geauga County grand jury later indicted him on aggravated murder, murder and having a weapon while under disability. He entered a not-guilty plea after the indictment. The defense subsequently raised questions about his mental health, and a court-ordered evaluation later concluded that he was not legally insane at the time of the offense. By June 2026, Kurzinger chose to resolve the case with a guilty plea to aggravated murder.

Under the plea arrangement, prosecutors agreed to seek dismissal of the remaining murder and weapons charges and specifications. There was no agreed sentence, leaving Rambo to determine whether Kurzinger should ever have an opportunity for release. Defense attorney Matthew Bangerter asked the court to preserve the possibility of parole. In a sentencing memorandum, he described a history of mental-health problems and said Kurzinger had participated in treatment, life-skills programming, parenting classes, medication management and counseling while incarcerated. Bangerter also pointed to what he described as Kurzinger’s limited prior criminal record.

Relatives and friends of Alexandra Kurzinger urged the court to focus on the permanent damage caused by her death. Supporters attended the hearing wearing shirts bearing her name and a message about justice. Several addressed Kurzinger directly. Alexandra’s cousin, Rachel Vogel, described the long-term trauma left for the family and rejected any suggestion that the killing solved the former couple’s conflict. Friend Marie Anne Brown spoke about Alexandra losing the opportunity to rebuild her life and about the impact on the children and others who loved her.

Steven Kurzinger also spoke before the sentence was imposed. He apologized to Alexandra’s relatives and friends but said his intent had been to hurt Alexandra and no one else. He told the court he planned to continue working on himself and expressed hope that he could someday return to society. Rambo rejected a sentence that could make that possible. The judge said the evidence showed the killing did not occur in self-defense or during a sudden fit of rage. Instead, he said, Kurzinger made a series of decisions that culminated in Alexandra’s death.

Rambo also noted that murder is uncommon in Geauga County and said the circumstances justified life without parole. In describing Alexandra’s final moments, the judge said she likely understood what was about to happen when Kurzinger approached with the gun. He then imposed a sentence ensuring that Kurzinger will remain imprisoned for the rest of his life. Defense counsel requested that an attorney be appointed to handle an appeal after the sentence was announced.

The sentence closes the trial-court phase of a case that began with Alexandra Kurzinger’s death in June 2025 and continued through indictment, mental-health litigation and a guilty plea. Kurzinger’s life-without-parole sentence remains in place as any appellate proceedings move forward.

Author note: Last updated Sept. 20, 2026.