Man receives life sentence for 2020 Dauphin County murder

Lara Bonatesta
·1 min read
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SWATARA TOWNSHIP, Pa, (WHTM) — Tristan Nicholson received a life sentence without parole on March 6, 2024, for the December 2020 murder of Kelly Patton in Dauphin County.

According to the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office, Patton was found dead in her apartment on Harrisburg Street on December 16, 2020.

Leading up to the sentencing, jurors heard evidence that Nicholson choked and beat Patton to death.

According to the District Attorney’s office, the evidence included recordings of Patton saying she was afraid of Nicholson. In one call three weeks before the murder she said, “I’m telling you. He’ll kill me. I’m scared.”

At the sentencing, Deborah Patton, Kelly’s mother, also said that two weeks before the murder, her daughter called her crying and said that if anything happened to her, Nicholson would be responsible.

According to the office, members of Kelly’s family spoke at the sentencing describing her as “kind-hearted, forgiving and devoted to her son.”

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