Storm Lake man sentenced to life

A Storm Lake man accused of killing his wife just days after he got out of prison was sentenced to a mandatory term of life in prison without parole this morning in Buena Vista County District Court. Judge Frank Nelson found 33-year-old George Pittman guilty of first-degree murder following a three-day trial in June. Pittman had asked that his case be heard by a judge rather than a jury. Pittman’s wife, Keo, was stabbed to death last September at the couple’s Storm Lake home, four days after Pittman got out of prison. He was serving two years for domestic terrorism for threatening to kill people in the Buena Vista County Courthouse. His case led the Iowa Parole Board to change its policy on early release. During the trial, Pittman claimed Keo committed suicide. However, the defense offered little evidence to support that claim and called no witnesses to the stand in Pittman’s defense. This morning, Pittman accused Nelson of “racism and hatred” in rendering his verdict. Pittman continued to claim he didn’t murder his wife…and said the court didn’t have the evidence to convict him. Pittman also claimed evidence was suppressed. Pittman said he would appeal the decision to the Iowa Supreme Court.