Hunter charged after shooting teen watching sunset with girlfriend, PA officials say

Two months ago, 18-year-old Jason Kutt was sitting on a bench at Nockamixon State Park, watching the sunset with his girlfriend, when a bullet suddenly struck the recent high school graduate in the back of the head.

Now, a hunter has been charged in the Pennsylvania teenager’s death, according to Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub.

Kenneth Heller, 52, is facing multiple charges, including homicide and failing to render aid, a statement from Weintraub’s office said.

“I am led to believe, pretty concretely, that Mr. Heller, as a hunter, took a shot at what he believed to be an animal,” Weintraub said during a Wednesday news conference, WFMZ reported.

“He hit what he aimed at, and he made an awful, awful mistake.”

Game wardens and park employees performed first aid on Kutt, and he was taken to a hospital where he died two days later, McClatchy News previously reported.

Authorities searched the area with the help of a police K-9, but there was no sign of the shooter, McClatchy reported.

Kutt’s girlfriend told investigators she saw a man in an orange vest in the area around the time Kutt was shot. He was standing by a gate about 550 feet away, looking in their direction, according to McClatchy.

Investigators tracked down three vehicles that were seen at the park the day of the shooting, one of which belonged to Heller, according to the district attorney’s statement.

Police zeroed in further on Heller after interviewing some of his coworkers. He missed work Monday, and when he came in Tuesday he was visibly shaken, coworkers told detectives, adding that Heller had begun giving away guns, ammo and gear.

But while searching Heller’s home and vehicle earlier this month, police found a .17 caliber Marlin rifle — the same rifle Heller would later admit he shot Kutt with — along with a bright orange hunting vest, with a 2020 hunting license attached, according to the statement.

Authorities said hunting was allowed at the park when the shooting occurred, according to McClatchy.

Following his court hearing, Heller was taken to the Bucks County Jail, WCAU reported.

“Clearly this isn’t a perfect ending,” Weintraub said in a statement. “Perfect would mean we have Jason back. But that’s just not how real life works, that’s not how criminal justice works, so this isn’t even really a happy ending, but it is a fair and a just and a final ending.”