Man sentenced in shooting death of ex-girlfriend

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A Bowling Green man pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon in Warren Circuit Court to killing his ex-girlfriend in 2015.

Gary Thompson pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and first-degree persistent felony offender in the shooting death of Sheila Nash inside her home.

He was sentenced to 35 years in prison with the possibility of parole after serving at least 20 years.

Nash’s niece, Misty Kelly, delivered a tearful victim impact statement about the void left in her life after losing her aunt, who she said raised her.

Thompson killed Nash in her home with one of her relatives present before he ran out.

Police found him hours later and after a brief altercation with police, Thompson shot himself.

Nash had been issued an emergency protective order against Thompson prior to her death but the order had not yet been served on Thompson before the shooting.

Thompson has a lengthy criminal record including a prior assault conviction.