FISHERS, IN – A man from Indiana has admitted to the chilling murder of his ex-wife, agreeing to spend a lifetime in prison. The shooter, Joshua Alexander Farmer, 34, conceded his guilt in the 2023 killing of his former spouse, Kaylah Farmer, 33, who was fatally shot while in her vehicle at a local gas station.
During his court appearance on Thursday, Farmer accepted charges of murder and stalking. In exchange for this guilty plea, prosecutors pardoned several other accusations, notably criminal recklessness with a firearm and the unlawful possession of a handgun. By entering the plea, Farmer also evaded the potentiality of a death sentence.
Court filings from Hamilton County prosecutors had earlier indicated their pursuit of capital punishment, arguing that Farmer had executed the murder to eliminate the possibility of his ex-wife testifying in domestic violence probes involving their family.
On June 28, 2023, around 5 p.m., Fishers Police Department officers arrived at a Speedway gas station following reports of a gunfire incident. The station is situated approximately 20 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Officers found Kaylah Farmer in a red van, having endured multiple gunshots, and subsequently declared her deceased at the scene.
A probable cause affidavit details surveillance footage examination, revealing how Farmer pursued his target and discharged his weapon through her vehicle window. Witness accounts suggested the eruption of between 30 to 40 shots at the time of the attack.
Authorities reported Farmer was driving a borrowed vehicle, initially following and later ambushing his ex-wife as she stopped for gas on her way from work to home. An autopsy conducted later showed Kaylah Farmer had sustained over 15 bullet wounds and more than 25 bullet fragments were extracted from her body.
Farmer was apprehended the day after the assault. Law enforcement agencies conducting electronic monitors in the vicinity noticed him near shrubbery. An officer detecting Farmer’s presence ordered him to surrender without any confrontation.
Prior to the fatal event, Farmer faced arrest earlier in June 2023, with charges stemming from multiple felonies, including domestic violence and firearm threats. It was revealed in legal documents that Kaylah had been a repeated victim of spousal abuse, often hiding her injuries with makeup.
Legal filings have indicated that the couple’s 11-year-old son testified about the abusive domestic atmosphere, recounting disturbing incidents of his father’s violent behavior. On one occasion, he described an ordeal where his father menaced his mother with a firearm in front of him, compelling her to make a harrowing choice.