Cynthiana man sentenced to 30 years after strangling mother of his children

CYNTHIANA, Ky. (FOX 56) — A Cynthiana man was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing the mother of his kids in May 2023.

According to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Joshua Watkins strangled Alexandra De Fina on May 28 in their home on Wornall Lane. Two days later, Watkins called 911 and claimed that he found De Fina dead in his bed.

After searching cell phone records, the attorney’s office said no outgoing calls or messages were seen coming from De Fina’s phone since the early morning hours of May 28. An autopsy on her body showed that she died as a result of strangulation.

On June 27, 2023, investigators said they interviewed Watkins, and he confessed to killing De Fina. He was indicted by a grand jury on July 7.

After what was described by the attorney’s office as a lengthy mediation that De Fina’s family attended, Watkins pleaded guilty to a murder charge and was sentenced to 30 years. 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,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Laws.