A Georgia man who confessed on Facebook to shooting his ex-girlfriend has been sentenced to 35 years in prison. Treyvon Walker, 27, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of Kaneza Rikial Owens, 28, and received a 35-year prison term followed by 15 years of probation.
Walker also admitted to aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The trial for Owens' death had been scheduled for Tuesday, November 10, but Walker opted to enter a guilty plea instead.
Incident on Log Cabin Drive
The shooting occurred on May 5, 2023, when sheriffs were called at around 4am to a domestic violence report in the 3800 block of Log Cabin Drive. As deputies arrived, a gunshot rang out from a nearby flat, prompting them to enter and find Owens unresponsive. Paramedics rushed her to hospital, but she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. Officers also found a young child at the property who was unharmed.
According to prosecutors, Owens had ended her relationship with Walker due to his "violent" behaviour, and he was unable to cope with the split. In retaliation, Walker turned up at his ex-partner's home and threatened to shoot her and take his own life.
Facebook confession and arrest
Police footage captured Owens engaging with officers as they arrived. When Walker spotted deputies approaching, he yelled out "That's the police" and immediately fired twice at the victim's chest before fleeing the scene. In a Facebook post published shortly after the incident, Walker confessed, writing, "Real Life Just Threw My Life Away Just Shot My Girl." Deputies apprehended him several days later.
Prior to sentencing, Owens' mother addressed the court, expressing bewilderment at Walker's actions given his professed love for Owens. She stated: "I don't know what to say. For someone to say he loves you, he wants to build a life with you and take care of you. Then for him to kill you when your child is upstairs is something I just don't know. I don't understand."
Prosecutor's remarks
In a separate address to the court, Macon District Attorney Anita Howard highlighted that Owens was attempting to rebuild her life when she was killed. "Kaneza Owens did what so many people tell victims to do. She decided to leave, and she was killed for it," she said.
