Ex-Cop Gets Life for Killing Paramedic

He pleaded guilty to felony murder
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Sep 28, 2020 2:34 PM CDT
Updated Sep 28, 2020 3:01 PM CDT
Ex-Cop Gets Life for Killing Paramedic
Officers were called to Levinsohn's home in 2018 when Talley threatened to kill himself. He was later deemed fit for duty and returned to work.   (Columbus Police Department)

A former police sergeant in Georgia pleaded guilty Monday to the murder of a paramedic he was having an affair with and sentenced to life in prison. The Ledger-Enquirer reports former Columbus officer William “Bill” Talley III pleaded guilty to felony murder, aggravated assault, and using a gun to commit a crime in the 2019 shooting death of paramedic Kelly Levinsohn. Charges of malice murder and violating his oath of office as a police offer against Talley were dropped as part of a plea bargain. Tally could be paroled after 30 years in prison. The gun charge would add five years of probation to his sentence after any release. The plea and sentence followed 90 minutes of testimony from relatives of Talley and Levinsohn, the AP reports.

Witnesses testifying remotely described their grief at Levinsohn's death, as well as the pain caused by Talley's actions, which witnesses said were fueled in part by depression, alcoholism, and a desire to kill himself. Talley and Levinsohn were having an affair that Talley’s wife Rebecca Talley knew about, yet she continued to support him, according to testimony. Talley shot Levinsohn in the head before driving the paramedic's truck to Harris County, where he wrecked it off Interstate 185 and threatened to kill himself, holding officers at bay. Talley eventually surrendered. Records show that officers were called to Levinsohn's home in 2018 when Talley threatened to kill himself. He was suspended for one day for violating rules on alcohol consumption, but was later deemed fit for duty and returned to work.

(More Georgia stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X