Man found guilty of murdering stepdaughter to control his wife

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A woman’s stepfather has been found guilty of murder for stabbing her to death in 2021, according to District Attorney Jared Williams.

Kelli Marie Lewis, 37, was stabbed to death on Dec. 11, 2021, inside an apartment in the 2100 block of Broad Street, according to authorities. Her stepfather, George Wilson, was soon taken into custody.

After a three-day trial this week, Williams said Thursday his office secured a guilty verdict against Wilson, 76.

A Richmond County jury found Wilson guilty of malice murder, felony murder and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony, according to Williams.

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“This is a domestic abuse case where an abuser killed his stepdaughter to regain control over his victim,” Williams said.

Wilson is a longtime felon with nearly two decades of abusing his wife, according to Williams. She suffered years of weekly beatings, leading to a broken arm, a broken leg, and even a gunshot wound to her knee, Williams said.

She “was trapped in a cycle of abuse in which too many women find themselves,” Williams said.

Her daughter Kelli had recently moved closer to Augusta from North Carolina.

With that bond strengthening, the mother grew in strength, eventually telling Lewis she would leave the defendant, according to Williams.

When the defendant told her she had to choose between him and her daughter, Wilson’s wife told him she wanted a divorce.

“Realizing he was losing power over his wife, he took it back in a most heinous manner,” Williams said.

As the two women watched television in the living room, the defendant came in acting like he was watching TV, Williams said.

“Standing over the victim, he asked his wife, ‘Is this what you want?’ before pulling out a knife and stabbing the victim three times, piercing her left lung, and a vital area near her heart,” Williams said.

The case was tried by Assistant District Attorney Sarah Elizabeth Strickland.

“He betrayed her,” Strickland said of the defendant and his wife. “As if the years of violence were not enough, he betrayed her even more by murdering her daughter.”

Wilson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus five years for possession of the knife.

“There are no women to beat where he’s going,” Williams said. “I am proud of the preparation and work of this team to ensure he can no longer hurt another woman.”

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