Amherst County judge sentences man to 16 years in prison for killing wife's lover

AMHERST COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — On Monday, an Amherst County judge sentenced the man a jury found guilty of killing the man his wife was dating.

The judge sentenced Joseph Cunningham to 16 years in prison for killing Kevin Heartless. This is the sentence the jury recommended earlier this year.

In January 2023, Joseph, his daughter, and his daughter's boyfriend set out to catch Joseph's wife having an affair with the victim, Kevin Hartless, in the George Washington National Forest.

When they got there, a fight broke out.

RELATED: Jury finds Joseph Cunningham guilty of second-degree murder in Amherst County trial

Hannah Hartless, the victim's niece, said she is close to her uncle and misses him. “It's very emotional…not crying and not wanting him here, but I can thankfully say that we got through this because of God and gave us justice,” she said.

“My uncle was, he was hunted like an animal that night. There is no self-defense on Joe's part. You know, and he killed my uncle and he deserved to get the time for it,” she said.

Defense attorney Ronnie West said Joseph was in a difficult situation and he believed he acted in self-defense when he shot Hartless.

“He wants people to know that he is in no way happy that Mr. Hartless is dead or his daughter, who was at the scene,” West said.

According to West and Hannah, Cunningham and Hartless had been friends.

The victim's family wished Cunningham had gotten more years in prison but is grateful for the 16 years.