Former Georgia congressional candidate, 33, is sentenced to 30 years in prison after agreeing to plead guilty to killing her husband by shooting him in the back
- Kellie Lynn Collins, 33, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of her husband, Curt Jason Cain, 41, in Aiken, South Carolina in August 2018
- Prosecutors dropped a grand larceny charge in exchange for her guilty plea
- Collins had been married to Cain a week and was listed on his insurance policy
- She dropped out of the 2018 Democratic race after her arrest
- Cain was found with a gunshot wound to his back after police did welfare check
A former Georgia congressional candidate will spend 30 years in prison after agreeing to plead guilty to killing her husband by shooting him in the back.
Kellie Lynn Collins, 33, was sentenced in Aiken, South Carolina, on Thursday after agreeing to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of her husband Curt Jason Cain – who had served as her campaign treasurer – according to the Augusta Chronicle.
By taking the plea deal, the aspiring politician avoids being tried on the murder charge that was issued after her arrest.
Prosecutors also agreed to drop a grand larceny charge against Collins in exchange for her guilty plea.
Cain had served as treasurer on Collins’ 2018 campaign for Georgia’s 10th Congressional district seat before he was found dead at his home in the 3000 block of Old Powderhouse Road on August 4, 2018 by police who were carrying out a wellness check.
The couple had only been married a week, and Collins was made the beneficiary of Cain’s insurance in the weeks leading up to his death.
Authorities say Kellie Lynn Collins, 31, (left) confessed to killing her 41-year-old husband, Curt Jason Cain, after her arrest on Wednesday
Collins had dropped out of the 2018 Democratic race for the 10th Congressional district seat after her arrest
Local law enforcement began looking into the suspicious death on August 7, 2018, according to the Aiken Standard.
Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton explained in a news release that Cain died from a gun shot wound to his back.
The husband’s death – due to loss of blood – was ruled a homicide, the coroner continued.
Solicitor Strom Thurmond Jr. said investigators found bloody footprints throughout the room where the body was discovered. They also found a set of car keys in the washing machine, a gun holster in the kitchen sink and what appeared to be blood in the bathroom sink.
Cain’s open wallet was also found at the scene, but his debit card was missing. The couple’s blue Subaru Legacy was also gone. Multiple witnesses told authorities they saw Collins driving the vehicle days prior to the incident.
Collins reportedly told investigators she shot her husband accidentally while trying to shoot herself.
‘We hope this will bring some closure to the family of the victim,’ Aiken County Sheriff Michael Hunt said on Wednesday.
Cain was pursuing his MBA at USC Aiken, Chancellor Dr. Sandra Jordan said.
‘Curt was a member of the third on-campus MBA cohort and was on the verge of completing the program next week,’ Jordan said. ‘According to School of Business faculty, Curt was one of the top students in his class and had a promising future ahead of him.’
The man was also listed as a member of the Aiken County Democratic Party, according to Elizabeth Foy, representative with the party.