Kacos found guilty of manslaughter

KINGMAN – A Kingman man who shot and killed his boyfriend nearly three years ago faces mandatory prison following conviction at trial. A Mohave County Superior Court jury declined a second-degree murder charge Friday, but found Christopher Kacos, 36, guilty of manslaughter.

Flagstaff attorney David Bednar argued that Kacos acted in self-defense when he shot and killed Christopher Young, 30, in April, 2020. Bednar told the jury that Young was amped up on methamphetamine when he assaulted a neighbor before he advanced upon Kacos a couple of hours later at the defendant’s property in the 900 block of John Norman Ln.

Deputy Mohave County attorney Jacob Cote said Young was unarmed when Kacos struck the victim with three rounds fired from a shotgun.

“This was not justified,” Cote said. “This was a defendant taking the law into his own hands.”

Cote said Kacos faces at least seven years in prison when sentenced April 12 by Judge Billy Sipe.

Dave Hawkins