It was an emotional scene in a 4th Judicial District courtroom Monday as an El Paso County judge handed down the maximum prison sentence for the man who pleaded guilty to killing Dorothy King, 62, in April 2024 outside a local bingo hall in Colorado Springs.

Nathaniel Buchmann, 35, was accused of running over and killing King during a carjacking attempt outside the South Academy Boulevard bingo hall on April 17, 2024. Court records show he initially faced multiple felonies in the case, but a July plea agreement had him plead guilty to only the second-degree murder charge.

While the defense argued for a lesser sentence, Judge Erin Sokol agreed with the prosecution, sentencing Buchmann to the maximum amount of time, 48 years.

The July plea agreement also involved two other open cases, a 2023 criminal mischief case and a motor vehicle theft case. The 2023 case was dismissed as part of the agreement, and a 12-year prison sentence was handed down for the theft charges, to run consecutive, or one after the other, to the 48-year homicide sentence. That makes Buchmann’s total sentence 60 years.

Before Sokol handed down her ruling, she heard from friends and family members of King, who were unanimous in requesting the maximum sentence, citing Buchmann’s extensive criminal record dating back to his teen years.

Court records show that Monday marked Buchmann’s 11th and 12th felony convictions, in addition to seven other misdemeanor convictions dating back decades and spanning both Colorado and Kentucky.

Shannon Ditterline, who King reportedly served in a caregiver role for, read an emotional statement to the court with tears in her eyes.

“The emotional devastation is impossible to put into words,” Ditterline said. “He took someone who means everything to us … I am pleading with this court, please don’t ever allow (Buchmann) to walk free again.”

One of King’s daughters, Laura King, also pleaded with Sokol, saying she was there Monday to continue the fight for justice.

“Why my mom? Who would be so evil to do this to someone as down-to-earth as her?” King said between shaky breaths. “How do I continue on without having my mom around?”

The defense brought forth two individuals to address the court, the first being a social worker who revealed more details into Buchmann’s allegedly traumatic childhood and mental health struggles.

Alexander Miller told the court that prenatal cocaine usage heavily impacted Buchmann’s cognitive abilities, in addition to “extreme” neglect and sexual abuse that left him diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder.

“Throughout his years, there were dozens of points of failure and missed opportunities … (it was a) culmination of untreated trauma that resulted in cognitive collapse,” Miller said.

Miller continued, stating she believes a lengthy sentence wouldn’t benefit him and asking the court to sentence Buchmann with those things in mind.

In addition to Miller’s statement, Buchmann’s fiancée provided a few words asking the court to hand down the minimum sentence.

Defense attorney Michael Stuzynski called the case a “societal failing,” while still acknowledging the numerous convictions and prison stints Buchmann has faced.

Rather than give a lengthy arguement asking for a shorter sentence than the prosecution requested, Stuzynski turned the floor over to his client, who spoke with emotion heavy in his voice.

Pulling out a handwritten letter from the front pocket of his orange jail jumpsuit, Buchmann first apologized to King’s friends and family.

“I know an apology won’t bring her back,” Buchmann said. “For my actions on April 17, 2024, I take full responsibility.”

“Is it my fault Ms. King is deceased? Yes,” Buchmann added. “I wish I would’ve just kept walking.”

Upon handing down her sentence, Sokol elaborated that she could only consider the longest sentence based on Buchmann’s criminal history.

The sentence was met with high emotion from King’s friends and family, who were spotted embracing one another after the hearing concluded.