ABBEVILLE, S.C.; October 22, 2024 – An Abbeville man was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from the killing of another Abbeville man with a hatchet, 8th Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Wednesday.
Joshua Leon Lusk, 36, threw himself on the mercy of the court, pleading guilty as charged Monday to murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Lusk changed his plea to guilty on the same day a jury was to be selected for a trial of the case.
At the conclusion of the guilty plea, presiding Circuit Judge Eugene C. Griffith Jr. sentenced Lusk to 30 years in prison. Under state law, the possible sentence for the crime of murder is from 30 years to life in prison and the sentence must be served day-for-day, meaning Lusk will never be eligible for parole or early release.
In August 2022, the victim gave Lusk’s codefendant a ride home. Lusk and the victim, 49-year-old Kenji Claude Kilgore, did not get along and a physical altercation occurred between the victim and Lusk. At some point during the altercation, Lusk and the codefendant assaulted the victim with a knife and a hatchet. An autopsy performed on the victim determined that he had been struck at least six times in the head with the blunt end of the hatchet as well as trauma to the wrist, leading to his death. Lusk’s account of the events that took place changed several times during interviews with law enforcement.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Solicitor Micah Black and Senior Assistant Solicitor Wade Dowtin, with assistance from 8th Circuit Investigator Chris Wilkie and 8th Circuit Victim Advocate Sarah Parris. Lusk was represented by attorney Michael Gambrell of Greenville.
Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff along with the Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office in securing the conviction and prison sentence.
“This senseless act of violence has forever altered the lives of two families in Abbeville,” Solicitor Stumbo said. “The brutality with which Joshua Lusk attacked a man who he had known for many years makes it clear that our community is better off with him behind bars for the next three decades. I am pleased that our team was able to secure a murder conviction here without putting Kenji’s family and friends through the pain of reliving that horrible day during a jury trial.”