‘You Should Believe Him,’ Says Prosecutor of Apparent Homicide Confession

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On March 11, counsel gave opening statements in 46-year old George Kuhn’s homicide trial before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Martin P. Welch.

Kuhn is suspected of murdering his fiancee, 36-year old Kristy Helmet on June 12, 2022. The incident occurred on the 6400 block of Erdman Avenue. Helmet was found dead in her car after being shot twice in the face. Police arrived on the scene after Kuhn alerted 911.

Kuhn is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, and firearm possession with a felony conviction.

”When someone tells you who they are, you should believe them,” said the prosecutor. He proceeded to play an audio recording of Kuhn’s 911 phone call on the night of the incident. In the recording, Kuhn is allegedly heard to say that, “I shot my fiancee in the face,” before proceeding to give details about his location. After playing this recording, the prosecutor repeated his earlier statement: “He told you exactly who he is, and you should believe him.”

Defense attorney Derrick Hamlin suggested a different story. He argued that Helmet attempted to kill herself in the car that night, and Hamlin attempted to save her. Hamlin told the jury that no blood was found on Kuhn’s hands, despite being present on Helmet’s.

As for the 911 call, the defense argued that Kuhn may have felt responsible for her death, in that moment, because he might have attempted to stop her from committing suicide and failed. Hamlin also argued that Kuhn was deeply in love with his fiancee, and had previously posted about their engagement. They were with each other for five years prior to her death.

Later on in the proceeding, an officer with the Baltimore Police Department, who responded to the crime scene and arrested Kuhn, testified about bodyworn camera footage that is said to show Kuhn repeatedly yelling out, “I don’t give a f*** about what I did, you can’t treat me like this.”

Hamlin suggested the officer was being too rough when transporting Kuhn, although not visible on the footage. Hamlin argued that it was likely that the officer was intentionally not aiming his body camera towards the defendant.

The trial is slated to continue on March 12.