Holton man sentenced for killing Topeka mom, 2 kids in 2023 house fire

Kawundo.com

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TOPEKA (KSNT) – A Holton man has been sentenced after starting a house fire in January, 2023.

The Shawnee County Courts sentenced 33-year-oldKyle J. Tyler to life in prison in connection to killing Genny Fitzpatrick, 30 and her two children, one-year-old Kourtney Tyler and nine-year-old Peyton Tyler in a 2023 house fire. On Aug. 23, 2024, Tyler pleaded no contest to a charge of murder in the first degree and two charges of aggravated arson, while other charges of murder in the first degree and aggravated endangering of a child were dismissed.

A breakdown of the time Tyler was sentenced by the courts is below:

  • One life sentence with a possibility of parole after 25 years for one count of first degree murder, inherently dangerous felony.
  • 79 months, 6.5 years, for one count of aggravated arson; substantial risk of bodily harm.
  • 59 months, nearly 5 years, aggravated arson; substantial risk of bodily harm.

The courts said these sentences are to be served concurrently to one another.

Just before 5 a.m. Jan 20, 2023, the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) was call to a home on fire in the 900 block of Southwest Warren Avenue. Once firefighters arrived on scene, they found a house engulfed in flames, and started working to put the fire out, amidst dangerous conditions.

A man, later identified as Tyler, was found on the back deck of the house fully clothed. He was later taken to a local hospital to receive treatment for smoke inhalation. Crews searched the house, and found Fitzpatrick and her two children. According to court documents, they died as a report of smoke inhalation. Investigators found two areas in the home where the fire started: one in the middle of the living room and in the basement.

KSNT 27 News spoke with family of Fitzpatrick in the days after the fire. Fitzpatrick worked at a local McDonalds while Peyton was a fourth grade student at Lowman Hill Elementary school in Topeka.

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