Georgetown man sentenced to life in prison, pleads guilty to murder of wife

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) -- A Georgetown man pleaded guilty this week after he was charged with shooting and killing his wife in December 2022, Georgetown District Attorney Shawn Dick said in a news release Thursday. He will serve a sentence of life in prison.

The shooting happened on Dec. 27, 2022. This was less than two weeks after Lindsey Whitman, 31, filed for divorce from Ricardo Quinones, 39, the release said. Whitman was living with a family member at a home in Georgetown, and Quinones lived somewhere else.

Quinones snuck into the home during the early morning hours that day, and he was wearing a black ski mask and had a firearm, according to the DA's office. Quinones then took Whitman hostage, handcuffed and then "threatened her with a knife and gun," the release said.

The family member called 911, and officers with the Georgetown Police Department arrived on the scene. The family member escaped through a bedroom window, the release said. Then, officers went into the home after they heard gunshots to find Whitman dead in a bedroom. She was handcuffed and was shot twice in the head through a pillow that was placed over her face, according to the DA's office.

Quinones fled the scene and was later found in Columbus, Texas "several hours later," the release said.

"This case is a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating impact domestic violence can have on families. Our deepest condolences go out to Ms. Whitman’s loved ones as they navigate this unimaginable loss,” Dick said.