A Missouri man, Kevin Ward, 26, was tragically shot and killed by his father, Harold Luster, 61, while trying to protect his pregnant fiancée, Kaitlyn, during a heated argument on Christmas Eve.
The incident occurred as the couple visited Luster before heading to Kevin’s mother’s home for holiday celebrations.
According to court records, Luster, who had been upset from a prior argument, accused Kevin’s mother of infidelity and Kaitlyn of withholding information.
When Kevin intervened to de-escalate the situation, Luster allegedly grabbed a gun and fatally shot his son in the forehead. Moments before the shooting, Kevin reportedly pleaded with his father, saying, “Dad, why are you doing this? I don’t deserve this.”
Kevin’s grieving mother, Katherine Ward, shared that her son sacrificed himself to protect his fiancée and unborn child. “He was the hero that night,” she said tearfully. “He would rather die than let them be harmed.”
Kevin and Kaitlyn were expecting their baby in June. Katherine described her son as a loving and ambitious young man who dreamed of building a home and a family for his child.
Luster was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond in Jefferson County Jail. A bond review hearing is scheduled for January 3, 2025.
Katherine vowed to seek justice for her son, stating, “My son cannot breathe, walk, or see. He is no longer here. Harold deserves to suffer every day with the memory of what he’s done.”
