Man charged in fatal shooting of 18-year-old at Nockamixon State Park

QUAKERTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A man has been charged in the fatal shooting of a Bucks County, Pennsylvania teenager at Nockamixon State Park.

On Wednesday, Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub announced that Kenneth Troy Heller, 52, of Warminster, has been charged with criminal homicide and other related charges in connection with the shooting.

According to authorities, the shooting happened around 5:15 p.m. on October 24 near the Old Ridge Road entrance to the park in Quakertown. Jason Kutt was watching the sunset at Lake Nockamixon when he was fatally shot.

"He had so many goals and aspirations and now he's not here. Today brought a little bit of closure, not a whole lot," said Dana Kutt, Jason's mother.

Kutt turned 18 two months before his death. He was a recent high school graduate and looking forward to joining the Air Force.

"He was planning on going into the military in January, he was working out with a trainer so he could meet the requirements and follow his grandfather's footsteps," said his mother.

On Wednesday, Heller turned himself in. He is being held without bail.

"He is a hunter, He hit what he aimed at and he made an awful awful mistake," said Weintraub.

Heller has agreed to make a deal with the Bucks County District Attorney's office to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter for the shooting death of Kutt. In return, he'd face a maximum of 10-20 years in prison.

"I do not believe it was Mr. Heller's intent to shoot and kill Jason Kutt. He never knew the man. This wasn't, 'Okay, I'm going to try it out and see what it's like to be a killer.' For Mr. Heller, he has expressed remorse," says Weintraub.

"Do I hate anybody? No, I don't hate anybody, but there's got to be consequences for any action," said Ron Kutt, Jason's father.

Now the family is raising money to memorialize their son through local scholarship funds.

The Kutt family will be looking into making changes at Nockamixon State Park, where hunters and the public can coincide.

"I'm an avid hunter myself, but some changes definitely need to take place from this," said Ron Kutt.