KILPATRICK KEY SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OF HIS WIFE AND ASSAULT ON A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN DOUGLAS COUNTY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2023

On May 12, 2023, Kilpatrick Key, 42, of Douglasville, Ga, entered a negotiated guilty plea to a 15-count indictment
charging Attempted Murder, Home Invasion, Aggravated Stalking, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Assault on a
Peace Officer, Aggravated Battery, Fleeing a Police Officer, and Cruelty to Children-1st Degree. Senior Judge David T.
Emerson presided over the plea and sentenced Key, as negotiated by the State, to life in prison with the possibility
of parole. This was the maximum sentence allowed by law for Home Invasion. In exchange for Key’s acceptance of
this plea, the State agreed to recommend to the Court that the sentences for all other charges run concurrent, rather
than consecutive to his Life sentence.

The charges stemmed from an incident in Douglas County on September 28, 2020 at the residence of Key’s estranged
spouse in the Stewart’s Mill Community. Key previously had been served with a Temporary Restraining Order to
stay away from the residence, but he violated that order, broke into the home, and proceeded to assault his spouse
with a knife. During the assault, Key threatened to not only kill his spouse, but also his three minor children who
were present to witness the assault of their mother. Fortunately, one of the children was able to call law enforcement, who responded to the scene.

Upon the arrival of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Key fled the residence and managed to steal a deputy’s vehicle in the driveway. When the deputy attempted to prevent Key from fleeing in the patrol vehicle, Key struck the deputy with the vehicle and drove away at a high rate of speed. Other deputies pursued Key as he drove dangerously through the neighborhood until he lost control of the vehicle, wrecked it, and fled on foot. He was quickly apprehended.

Key’s actions caused severe and permanent physical injuries to his spouse, and severe emotional trauma to his
children. Members of the Key family were present in Court for the plea and supported this resolution of the case. The
deputy suffered a broken rib and bruising to his abdomen. He and other members of the Douglas County Sheriff’s
Office also attended the plea at the Douglas County Superior Courthouse and supported this resolution to the case.

My office commends the diligent and thorough work of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, especially that of lead
investigator Lieutenant James “Jay” Hayes. Chief Assistant District Attorney Jep Bendinger prosecuted the case with
the assistance of Victim Advocate Allison Boon, both from the Coweta Judicial Circuit, due to a legal conflict by the
Douglas County District Attorney’s Office.

The Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office was proud to be given the responsibility to see that justice was done in this case. We see cases like this in our jurisdiction, as do many other DA’s Offices, and we were determined to fight for these victims and the Douglas community as we would any other case. While the law requires that Key be eligible for parole in 30 years, it is my hope for the sake of his victims, particularly his family, that he never be released from prison.

JOHN HERBERT CRANFORD, JR.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
COWETA JUDICIAL CIRCUIT