TOLEDO, Ohio — The two men convicted of murder and kidnapping in the 2022 deaths of two Toledo teens were sentenced Monday.
Brent Kohlhoffer and Charles Walker were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole as to count two of aggravated murder. As to count three of murder, they were sentenced to 15 years to life. Both sentences will be served consecutively.
Kohlhoffer and Walker were both found guilty on May 16 of one of the two counts of aggravated murder they faced. They were also found guilty of two counts of murder and two counts of kidnapping each.
Both men faced the charges in the deaths of Ke’Marion Wilder, 16, and Kyshawn Pittman, 15, whose bodies were discovered on Dec. 15, 2022, in the remnants of a burned, vacant north Toledo house after nearly two weeks of searching.
In a press release, Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney Julia Bates wrote that Wilder and Pittman had attended a birthday party at Maumee Bay State Park and been asked to leave. They then went to a home in Toledo, where they played video games in the basement until the two were confronted about a theft.
During the confrontation, Wilder and Pittman were beaten and bound, the prosecutor's office said, before they were transported via vehicle to a third, unknown location, where the two were killed.
The teens were taken back to a home on Chase Street, where their bodies were later discovered by authorities following a house fire on Dec. 15, 2022. According to the press release, the Lucas County Coroner determined the teens had been killed prior to the fire.
"We are thankful for the jury's service and that we were able to provide justice for the families of Kyshawn Pittman and Ke'Marion Wilder," said Bates in the release. "I hope their families can find a degree of peace. May their memories forever live in their hearts."
The jury's verdicts last month concluded nine days of trial that saw multiple witnesses called to the stand, including Kohlhoffer's mother, the Toledo police detective leading the investigation into the deaths and Carissa Eames and Don Eames, two of the 11 others charged in the case.
Corbin Gingrich on May 1 pleaded guilty under seal to unknown charges. He was originally charged with two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping and obstructing justice.
A 14-year-old and a 17-year-old were sentenced last summer to one year and six months, respectively, in an Ohio Department of Youth Services in the case.
Diamond Rivera was sentenced last summer to three years of community control and 270 days in prison. A judge found her guilty of obstructing justice.
Crystal Yingling LaForge was found guilty of the same charge as Rivera and sentenced to 270 days at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio and 36 months of community control.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include additional information and a statement from the Lucas County Prosecutor's Office.