Jury finds Kallay Batchelor guilty of first degree murder

ESCANABA — The jury in the murder trial of Kallay Batchelor has found him guilty of first degree murder.

Kallay Batchelor was found guilty of first-degree murder this afternoon in Delta County Circuit Court. “We, members of the jury, find the defendant guilty
of first-degree murder.”

As the verdict was read, Kallay Batchelor showed no emotion, like he had done for most of the trial, as the twelve member jury found him guilty of killing his wife, Heather Batchelor, last September. After hearing closing arguments for a little more than an hour, the twelve members of the jury deliberated in the jury room for about two hours and fifteen minutes before they reached a verdict.

Heather’s friends and family were in court as the verdict was read. ABC 10 and CW-5 attempted to talk with the family after the court proceedings concluded, but they
declined comment. Prosecutor Philip Strom and Batchelor’s attorneys, John Bergman and John Filaramo, also declined to speak with ABC 10 and CW-5 News Now.

With his hands restrained by the handcuffs, Batchelor was led out of the courtroom and back to jail. Kallay Batchelor will be back in court July 1 at 2:30pm for his sentencing.

A first-degree murder conviction comes with life in prison without the possibility of parole.


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