Two Lexington men to be sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty in 2023 deadly shooting

Two men who have already entered guilty pleas in connection with a deadly shooting in Lexington in 2023 are scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday, June 24, according to WKYT. The proceeding will take place as the criminal case moves from the plea stage to the punishment phase before a judge, following their admissions of criminal responsibility for their roles in the incident.

WKYT reported that the sentencing follows guilty pleas tied to the June 2023 shooting. The report also identified the incident scene on Tazewell Drive in Lexington, an area where the shooting prompted an investigation by law enforcement and the response of medical personnel, according to the outlet’s coverage and accompanying scene imagery.

In Kentucky criminal cases, once a defendant pleads guilty, sentencing generally proceeds after prosecutors and defense attorneys present information to the court that can include the circumstances of the offense, any prior criminal history, and statements about the impact on victims and the community. The sentencing date set for Wednesday indicates the court has moved past the plea negotiations stage and toward a final resolution in the case.

Because the men have already pled guilty, the Wednesday hearing is expected to focus on determining appropriate sentences under Kentucky law rather than litigating whether the underlying facts will be established at trial. Prosecutors typically argue for terms they believe fit the offense conduct and any aggravating factors, while defense attorneys often seek reduced sentences based on mitigation and individual circumstances.

The case’s progression also reflects the time it can take for investigations, charging decisions, plea negotiations, and court scheduling after a lethal incident. WKYT’s report places the incident in 2023, with the guilty pleas already completed and the sentence hearing now set nearly three years later.

With the sentencing scheduled for Wednesday, the next public developments will include the judge’s final sentence and any conditions that accompany it, such as probation or parole terms if applicable, as well as the handling of related procedural matters in the criminal docket. For the Lexington community, the hearing will mark the formal conclusion of the matter’s adjudicatory steps tied to the 2023 Tazewell Drive shooting.