Nebraska Supreme Court upholds man’s conviction in Saunders County stabbing death

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Nebraska Supreme Court issued a ruling Friday upholding the conviction of a man who fatally stabbed his fiancee in Saunders County in 2020.

Kolton Barnes made eight arguments in his appeal, but the high court unanimously said there was “no merit” to any of them.

On July 15, 2020, the body of Kayla Matulka was found in the home she shared with Barnes in Malmo, a village about 40 miles north of Lincoln.

She was stabbed 27 times, according to court documents.

Barnes’ dog was also found dead of multiple stab wounds.

SEE ALSO: Authorities arrest fiance of woman found stabbed to death

At trial, prosecutors showed text messages from Matulka on the night of July 14 telling Barnes that she was breaking up with him.

They said Barnes then went to the house and killed her.

Barnes argued that he killed Matulka in self-defense after she killed the dog and attacked him.

SEE ALSO: Man pleads not guilty in Nebraska fiancee’s stabbing death

But the jury convicted Barnes of first-degree murder, intentional animal cruelty and several other charges.

He was sentenced to life in prison for murder, plus more prison time for the other charges.

Most of Barnes’ arguments in his appeal centered around what evidence was and was not allowed at trial.

He said testimony from a former girlfriend about him threatening to kill her was not relevant to the case.

But the Supreme Court found that the lower court had the discretion to include it because it shows motive.

The ex-girlfriend, like Matulka, said she was breaking up with Barnes before the threats, according to court documents.

Barnes also argued that there wasn’t enough evidence to convict him of first-degree murder, saying the state didn’t prove that he acted with premeditation.

But the high court ruled that Matulka’s number of stab wounds, Barnes’ lies to law enforcement, his destruction of evidence and his threat to kick down the door of their home could all be interpreted as signs of premeditation.