A Christian County Circuit Court jury Tuesday found Joshua Cotton guilty of the 2021 murder of Alijah Watts in a case that saw two co-defendants enter guilty pleas on Monday. He was then sentenced to over four decades behind bars.
Cotton was charged with murder, first-degree robbery, and theft. Opening statements began Monday afternoon and testimony and closing arguments were heard Tuesday.
During the sentencing phase, Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Bolen urged the jury to sentence Cotton to the maximum amount of time in prison so that Watts’ family would not have to relive the crime multiple times at future parole hearings
click to download audioAfter 30 minutes of deliberation, the jury sent a question to Judge John Atkins that he read to the attorneys and then answered. 20 minutes later, the jury returned Cotton’s sentence which Judge Atkins read to the courtroom.
click to download audioThe jury found Cotton guilty of shooting Watts during an attempted robbery at Casey’s General Store on Fort Campbell Boulevard. Watts, a former standout athlete at Hopkinsville High School, drove from the scene but crashed his car and died before he could reach the hospital.
Hopkinsville Police Detectives testified that Christian McKeel drove then 17-year-old Jonathan Weston and then 16-year-old Cotton to Casey’s with intent to commit a robbery. A struggle ensued during the attempted robbery and that’s when the 19-year-old Watts was shot in the abdomen.
McKeel was accused of helping Cotton and Weston leave the scene.
On Monday, Weston entered a guilty plea to facilitation to first-degree assault and first-degree wanton endangerment. Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Bolen recommended a sentence of eight years and six months.
Keel also entered a guilty plea Monday before his trial was scheduled to start. He pled to facilitation to murder and second-degree robbery with 11 years in prison recommended by Bolen.
Final sentencing for all three is set for November 1.
