A former Campbellsville University wrestler has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing his teammate in a campus dorm room. Charles Escalera pleaded guilty to murder in the death of 18-year-old Josiah Kilman, whose February 2024 killing stunned the small Kentucky college community.
Taylor County Circuit Court Judge handed down the sentence Thursday after Escalera admitted responsibility in June, according to WDRB. The case had remained unresolved for more than two years while Escalera stayed in jail awaiting sentencing.
A Campus Killing That Shook Campbellsville
Kilman, a freshman theology major from Columbia Falls, Montana, was found unresponsive in his dorm room just before 1 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2024. He was taken to Taylor Regional Hospital, where he later died, and the Taylor County coroner determined that the cause of death was asphyxiation by manual strangulation.
Escalera was arrested later that afternoon after a farmer reported finding a suspicious man hiding in a hay barn in Green County. Both men had been members of Campbellsville University’s wrestling team, a detail that deepened the shock for classmates and teammates, according to WKYT.
The university described Kilman as a beloved member of its community and said it offered counseling, campus ministry and other support after his death. In an official statement, Campbellsville University said Kilman had joined the wrestling team after coming to Kentucky from Montana. According to U.S. News & World Report, Campbellsville University had a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,853 in fall 2023.
Guilty Plea Brings Long Case To A Close
The plea agreement dropped two burglary charges and one charge of theft by unlawful taking, according to WDRB. More than 60 letters from Kilman’s family and friends were presented during the sentencing hearing, while his parents watched via Zoom.
Escalera addressed the court and Kilman’s family, asking for forgiveness and saying he would trade places with Kilman if he could. The judge said a mental-health crisis may have played a role in the killing, but the full circumstances and motive have not been publicly disclosed.
