Fort Wayne man sentenced to 45 years in prison after fatal shooting on Valentine's Day 2021

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – A 33-year-old Fort Wayne man who pleaded guilty to murder in connection with the fatal shooting of his girlfriend in 2021 was sentenced to 45 years in prison Friday.

Tykwan Walker pleaded guilty last month to murder in connection with the shooting death of 37-year-old Heather Hobbs on Valentine's Day 2021. She was found dead in her apartment with a gunshot wound to the head, according to an affidavit filed by Fort Wayne Police Detective Jeffery Marsee.

During the investigation, police learned that there was a history of domestic violence in the relationship between Hobbs and Walker.

Witnesses told police Hobbs suffered injuries she said were caused by Walker's beating, court records show. Hobbs was treated for a laceration on her forehead and a broken nose during an emergency room visit a few weeks before her death.

“If I die, then [Walker] “That’s what it took,” Hobbs wrote in a text message to a friend six months before her death.

During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors said they would not normally offer a 45-year sentence as part of a plea bargain, but did so in this case with the consent of Hobbs' family.

Hobbs' family described her as a “unique” woman. They said she was a dedicated health care worker, a loving mother and a trusted friend.

Several people shared that they have experienced mental and physical health issues as a result of the loss of Hobbs. They expressed their disdain for Walker and his behavior after Hobbs' murder, adding that Hobbs has missed and will miss many events in the lives of their children and grandchildren because of his actions.