The tragic death of Westlake High School student Wesley Welling officially pleaded guilty to multiple charges Friday morning, including murder and attempted murder.
Defendant Austin Ice confessed that in April 2023 he crashed at a bus stop outside the school and intentionally drove another student, killing him and wounding him.
In addition to charges related to the crash, EIS pleaded guilty to a series of crimes, including six attempted murders from violent crimes that began with stabbing wounds at Walmart and family conflict.
A bright and energetic freshman, Wesley Welling was described by people who know him as a promised man. On Friday, family and friends were sitting just a short distance away from the person responsible for the devastating losses, filling the first two rows of Ventura County courtrooms.
“His bed is still being made,” Wesley’s heartbroken mother, Kelly Welling, spoke to reporters after the hearing. “No matter what happens justice, it won’t be enough to get Wesley back. I wake up every day without Wesley. I don’t have a son.”
As for EIS, he is now facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind the bar. However, California law concerning individuals under the age of 26 makes him eligible for parole after 24 years of service.
“That’s California law,” said Amber Lee, senior assistant district attorney at the Ventura County DA office. “Mr. EIS was under the age of 26 and after 24 years of service he was eligible for his first parole hearing.”
This has deeply annoyed the Welling family. Kelly Welling expressed her rage and determination to challenge the law, saying, “It’s very frustrating and I’m going to fight that law in the future, because in the case of murder, that law doesn’t apply. .”
Almost two years after the tragic loss, Welling continues to grieve over his son’s death. “He was just caring and caring,” she recalled. “I can’t see him coming down the stairs and when I take his brother and sister to school, I don’t take him to school.”
As she suffers from the void left by the death of her son, Welling remains committed to honoring his memory.
The EIS ruling will be issued on April 14, 2025. At that point, details of the incident are expected to appear. For now, Wesley Welling’s family and friends hold memories of a young life that has become tragically short.
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