Jessica L. Callahan

A 20-year-old Hilliards woman was sentenced to serve 10 to 20 years in prison for shooting her boyfriend outside of her home in March 2023.

Jessica Lee Callahan was sentenced Friday, Aug. 16 in Butler County Common Pleas Court in the death of Tyler Whitlatch, 31, who died from a gunshot to his back.

A jury found Callahan guilty of third-degree murder on the fourth day of her trial in July. The district attorney’s office asked the jury to convict her of first-degree murder.

State police charged Callahan with shooting Whitlatch with a shotgun containing buckshot in the yard of her home following an argument.

A forensic pathologist testified that Whitlatch was shot in the back, with two shotgun shell pellets striking him in the back, one entering his armpit, and a fourth striking his shoulder.

Callahan testified that she grabbed a shotgun and walked out of the house following an argument, and that Whitlatch walked out of the house after her and was headed toward the road. She said she shot toward the bush when he stopped and turned toward her.

She said she started driving him to Butler Memorial Hospital, but pulled over at the North Washington Rodeo grounds on Route 38, removed him from the car and administered CPR while talking to a 911 dispatcher. Whitlatch was pronounced dead there.

State police testified about photos of a bush or tree in the yard that showed eight apparent strikes from pellets. Police recovered a spent shotgun shell in the yard 56 feet from where Whitlatch’s phone was found. The phone was found near the road.

Callahan admitted to giving police two false accounts of the shooting before telling the truth. She said Whitlatch was abusive toward her.

She said she has been shooting shotguns since she was 5 years old and won shooting competitions.

Her cellmate in the county prison testified that Callahan told her she hid behind the bush and fired at Whitlatch.

Callahan’s defense attorney argued she fired the gun at the bush as a warning shot and hit Whitlatch accidentally.

He said the shooting was justified as a warning shot and took place after Whitlatch turned toward Callahan.

The district attorney’s office argued Callahan lied repeatedly during the investigation and during her testimony, and she intended to kill Whitlatch.

A prosecutor said Whitlatch left Callahan’s home fully clothed and indicated their argument had ended, but she ran out of the house wearing a bra, pants and no shoes, and shot him.

In his sentencing order, Judge Joseph Kubit said Callahan must enroll in and complete the dual diagnosis treatment and vocational training or college courses. He recommends she shouldn’t be eligible for parole unless she follows those orders. She received credit for the time she served in the county prison since her March 21, 2023 arrest.