Indy man sentenced to 60 years for murder, claims he was trying to commit suicide instead

INDIANAPOLIS — The man convicted of killing a woman in June 2020 received a sentence of 60 years on Monday.

After a three-day trial, Kendale Abel was convicted of murdering Ashley Richardson on June 9, 2020.

According to court documents, on the night of the murder, Abel called officers to a residence on West 33^rd Street. Richardson was located inside their home suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Abel initially told investigators that after getting in an argument with his girlfriend, Richardson, he tried to commit suicide, but he missed, and the round struck Richardson. Abel also stated that he shot Richardson again when he went to check on her with the gun in his hand.

“While this resolution provides finality to the criminal matter, it does not fill the tragic void of losing Ms. Richardson,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said. “If you or a loved one is a victim of intimate partner violence, reach out for assistance and support. No act is too small— a phone call can save a life. There are people and resources devoted to breaking the cycle of violence.”

According to the autopsy report, Richardson sustained two gunshot wounds, one to the head and one to the chest.