A Colorado man who opened fire on his estranged wife — after learning he may not be the father of one of their children — has been sentenced to 57 years in prison. One woman died trying to shield her cousin from the attack.
Kelynn Lewis, 34, sent his wife a threatening text within minutes of learning the news. That same evening, he forced his way into her apartment in Adams County — their four children, ages 3 to 9, were inside.
He went straight to her bedroom and opened fire.
What happened
- Wife texted Lewis that he was not the biological father of one of their children
- Lewis immediately threatened to kill her
- Hours later, he forced his way into her apartment and fired 5 shots
- Her cousin, Vatrice Little, stepped in front of the gun to protect her
- Little was killed. The wife survived by pretending to be dead
- All four children were present during the attack
“She was literally trying to protect a family member from being killed — and was killed herself while doing so.” — District Attorney Brian Mason
Prosecutors say the text messages Lewis sent were the key evidence in the case, clearly establishing motive. Little had been braiding the wife’s hair when Lewis burst in. According to the DA, if the wife had tried to run instead of playing dead, Lewis likely would have kept shooting.
Lewis was arrested two days after the February 2024 attack and convicted on February 13, 2026. He now faces 57 years behind bars.
Sentence
57 years in prison
Second-degree murder + attempted murder — Adams County, Colorado
