INDIANAPOLIS — Orlando Mitchell has been found guilty of murdering the mother of his son outside an Indianapolis daycare in 2022. Jurors deliberated for a little more than an hour Wednesday morning, after hearing closing arguments from both sides in the trial.
On September 16, 2022, Krystal Walton was shot and killed in the parking lot of a west side daycare after dropping off her children. Walton had a protective order against Mitchell in place at the time, and had warned police she was afraid he would kill her.
WATCH: Family remembers Krystal Walton 1 year after she was killed
The jury also found Mitchell guilty of invasion of privacy.
During the three-day trial, jurors heard from daycare employees and a nearby business owner. They were also shown video of Mitchell waiting outside the daycare for Walton, hiding behind a light pole while she took her children inside.
Following the shooting, police confronted Mitchell that same morning as he was reportedly armed with a rifle. Authorities stated that he refused commands to drop the weapon and pointed it at officers, prompting police to fire and wound Mitchell before taking him into custody.
The defense asked the jury for a conviction on voluntary manslaughter, arguing that Mitchell was acting in a "sudden heat."
Walton's family says they will give impact statements at Mitchell's sentencing, scheduled for a later date. "I'm going to call this justice for Krystal, phase one," Walton's father Christopher Walton told WRTV after the verdict.
This verdict comes as Mitchell faces further serious accusations, including the killing of a Marion County Sheriff's Office deputy while in custody.
