HARRISON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Cynthiana man plead guilty to murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison after he strangled and killed the mother of his kids in 2023, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
The office detailed that on May 28, 2023, Joshua Thompson Watkins killed Alexandra De Fina in their Cynthiana home on Wornall Lane. On May 30, 2023, Watkins called 911 and reportedly claimed that woke up that morning and found De Fina dead in bed with him.
During an investigation, authorities found that cell phone records did not show outgoing calls or messages from De Fina's cell phone after the early morning hours of May 28, according to officials.
Officials added that an autopsy was conducted and determined that De Fina's cause of death was "asphyxia via strangulation." During an interview with detectives at the Harrison County Sheriff's Office, Watkins confessed to the murder, officials reported.
On July 7, 2023, Watkins was indicted by a Harrison County Grand Jury, and he plead guilty to murder on Feb. 21, 2025, with a recommended sentence of 30 years in prison.
Watkins was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and according to officials, he will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least 20 years of his sentence.
“We were able to successfully prosecute this case because of the thorough investigation of Lieutenant Joseph Daniel. I also want to thank Detective Mark Burden and Detective Paul Olin for their assistance and Victim Advocate Sheila Wiley for supporting Alexandra’s family throughout this difficult process. I express my deepest sympathy to Alexandra’s family, and I sincerely hope that the resolution of the criminal case helps bring them some closure,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Laws stated.
