53°
Kenneth Troy Heller, 52, of Warminster, surrendered to authorities on Dec. 30, Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub said.
"Clearly this isn’t a perfect ending,” he said. “Perfect would mean we have Jason back. But that’s just not how real life works, that’s not how criminal justice works, so this isn’t even really a happy ending, but it is a fair and a just and a final ending.”
Kutt, of Sellersville, was sitting with his girlfriend at the edge of the lake near the Old Ridge Road access to the park waiting for the sun to set with his girlfriend around 5:15 p.m. on Oct. 24.
The romantic moment turned into a devastating and tragic one when a man in an orange vest just 550 feet away, shot Kutt in the back of his head, authorities said.
Kutt's girlfriend told authorities she saw a man in hunting clothing standing behind a yellow gate at Old Ridge Road, looking in their direction.
Two days later, Kutt was pronounced dead.
"For more than two months, Bucks County detectives Timothy Campbell and Michael Walp worked tirelessly on the case, tracking down three vehicles seen at the state park the day of the shooting," Weintraub said. "One of those vehicles, belonged to Heller."
Detectives interviewed Heller’s co-workers, who said he did not report to work the Monday after the shooting and was visibly “shook up” when returned on Tuesday. The co-workers also told detectives that shortly after the shooting Heller gave away guns, ammunition and hunting gear, Weintraub said.
Detectives searched Heller’s vehicle and home on Dec. 10, finding a .17-caliber Marlin rifle, ammunition for the rifle and an orange hunting vest with a 2020 hunting license issued to Kenneth Heller affixed to the back of the vest. Detectives also found metal knuckles with a dagger attached, according to the DA.
Bucks County detectives met with Heller and his attorney on Dec. 29, when he admitted to firing his .17-caliber Marlin rifle – the one located during the Dec. 10 search – from the area of the gate on Old Ridge Road, shortly after 5 p.m. and that the projectile from his rifle struck and killed the victim, according to a criminal complaint, authorities said.
Heller also admitted that he made no attempts to inform authorities that he took the fatal shot, according to a complaint.
Heller has been charged with criminal homicide, recklessly endangering another person, possession of an instrument of crime, possession of a prohibited offensive weapon and two hunting law violations, Weintraub said.
He was arraigned by District Judge Gary Gambardella, who sent him to Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail. Heller waived his preliminary hearing and his next scheduled court date is his formal arraignment in April, which he also agreed to waive.
Heller has agreed to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter and the remaining charges on his first scheduled trial listing, Weintraub said.
Those assisting Bucks County detectives in this case were Pennsylvania State Police; Pennsylvania Game Commission; Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR); Montgomery County Detectives; Bedminster Township Police Department; Central Bucks Special Response Crime Scene Team; Dublin Borough Police Department; Montgomery Township Police Department; Pennridge Regional Police Department; Perkasie Borough Police Department; Quakertown Borough Police Department; Tinicum Township Police Department; Warminster Township Police Department; Upper Bucks Regional EMS; Point Pleasant-Plumsteadville EMS; Ottsville Fire Company; and the Bucks County Coroner's Office. The case has been assigned for prosecution to Deputy District Attorney Robert D. James and Assistant District Attorney Ed Furman.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Marlton-Evesham and receive free news updates.
