Kyle Romey: Man sentenced to life imprisonment for beating mother to death over argument about vodka

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

SEDGWICK COUNTY, KANSAS: Earlier this week, a judge sentenced Kyle L Romey, a man from Kansas to life imprisonment for the brutal beating death of his mother. He also invited his sister over to view the tragic aftermath, as per Law & Crime. 

In November 2023, 44-year-old Kyle L Romey was found guilty on one count of first-degree murder for the October 2021 killing of his 67-year-old mother, Denyce Breit, at her residence on US Route 54 in Sedgwick County.

Romey sentenced to life imprisonment

On January 2, Romey received a sentence of 653 months, approximately 54 years, in a Sunflower state prison, with the possibility of parole afterward. The victim's tragic fate was never in question during the proceedings.

At a press conference the day after the distressing discovery and swift arrest, Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter highlighted that it was evident to the deputies that there had been significant blunt-force trauma inflicted upon the body.

According to the sheriff's office, the span between the initial welfare call in the case and the eventual apprehension of the perpetrator was less than ten hours. Officers initially responding to the scene were informed that Breit had encountered a medical problem, leading to the investigation's rapid escalation.

Following numerous attempts to contact her and check various local hospitals without success, law enforcement decided to breach the door. Inside, they discovered the deceased victim lying on the living room floor.

As the initial investigation unfolded, a second 911 call was received. Deputies responded by heading into inner Wichita, where the caller explicitly stated their belief that Romey was responsible for harming his mother.

Romey argued over Vodka with his mother

Earlier on the morning of the murder, Romey disclosed to his sister that he had experienced a blackout after an argument with their mother regarding vodka, according to court documents obtained by The Wichita Eagle.

According to Romey's account, Breit was "cold and thirsty" and requested a drink, but he refused to provide it. Romey then alleged experiencing a blackout. He claimed that upon regaining consciousness around six in the morning, he discovered that Breit had passed away.

Romey's behavior struck his sister as peculiar when he arrived at her house that morning. She later informed the police that he seemed unusually inclined to hug her and mentioned that it might be the last opportunity for them to embrace.

According to the affidavit obtained by the paper, Romey proceeded to smoke something from a glass pipe. He then allegedly insisted that his sister accompany him because "he had something to show her."

Romey told his sister he "wanted to spend time with her" on the way there in their mother's car since "he was going to go back to prison," according to the affidavit.

The sister reported to authorities that their mother was "swollen and bruised." According to his sister's account, Romey, in a final display of remorse, covered the deceased woman with a blanket. He then laid down beside her, grieving over the outcome.

Then, he retrieved a broken necklace from his mother's feet and presented it to his sister, stating, “This is yours now.”

Daughter grieves her mother's death

The victim’s daughter wrote in an online fundraiser for funeral expenses, "My mother was an amazing woman, she would help or do anything for anyone, even if she didn’t know you."

“She had a huge heart and I am truly blessed to be able to call her my mom. Now she is in heaven with Jason (her oldest son) whom she missed terribly. I love you mommy, you will always be with me in my heart.”

To put things in perspective, Breit extended an invitation to her son to move in with her after his parole release in April 2021. According to reports, his record includes many convictions for criminal threat and criminal possession of a weapon—not a firearm—as well as one conviction for aggravated battery causing serious bodily damage.