***UPDATED Jan. 15: Lewis Kyle Wilson to be released from jail May 12***

Lewis Kyle Wilson, an Asheville man charged with kidnapping and brutally assaulting a prostitute, has plead guilty to lesser assault and drug charges.

***UPDATE: He will be released from jail on May 12. According to court records released today, the original assault charge against Wilson was not reduced due to lack of evidence or an agreement to plead guilty to other charges, but for an unspecified “other” reason.***

Wilson plead guilty Jan. 11 to assault inflicting serious bodily injury, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession with intent to sell and distribute psylocibin mushrooms. Charges of first-degree kidnapping and a charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill were both dismissed by the District Attorney’s office. The drug and assault charges were combined, and Wilson was sentenced to 15 to 18 months. According to jail records, he has been held in the Buncombe County Detention Facility for a total of 415 days thus far.

According to the original charges, Wilson allegedly picked up a prostitute, knocked her unconscious, took her to his home, forced her to perform oral sex and stabbed her in the head. She escaped and, a few days later, Wilson was arrested.

After his arrest, police deemed Wilson a “person of interest” in two other prostitute attacks near his River District home, as well as the unsolved 2006 murder of prostitute Kelly Lane Smith. In a jailhouse interview with Xpress last February, Wilson maintained he was innocent of all charges, asserting that the prostitute had attacked him. At the time, he said he would fight the charges in a trial.

Last March, DNA testing revealed that hair and teeth found in a search of Wilson’s home didn’t belong to Smith. Wilson has not been charged with any crimes connected to Smith’s murder or the assaults of the other two prostitutes.

— David Forbes, staff writer

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19 thoughts on “***UPDATED Jan. 15: Lewis Kyle Wilson to be released from jail May 12***

  1. OUTrage

    This man is a CONVICTED KNIFE ATTACKER and will be back on our streets in less than 3 months after serving less than two years!

    Voice your outrage to Ron Moore, the District Attorney of the people of Buncombe County.

  2. ashevillain7

    Isn’t it interesting how the murders and assaults on prostitutes have pretty much been nonexistent during his incarceration. It will be interesting to see if they start back up again when he’s released…

  3. chalkbox

    was it not last year that everyone was sure he was a creep/possible serial killer? I hope the xpress follows up on this story. It was a big story last year. Is he just a creep in the wrong place wrong time or is there more?

  4. OUTrage

    Chalkbox,

    He pled GUILTY to a violent knife assault on a prostitute!

    He many not be proven to be a murderer but he is a convicted violent felon.

    Lock your doors.

  5. Bill

    I know this man personally and he is decent, caring human being. I was absolutely shocked to hear of the allegations against him. While I now realize that he has some mental issues to deal with and obviously has made some improper choices in his life, he is not a career criminal or violent murderer as has been speculated. Local (non)News outlets have railroaded this guy in the name of journalistic sensationalism. All those following along and taking up pitchforks are also guilty of helping to destroy this man’s life in AVL.

  6. OUTrage

    I know this man, too, far better than you and I have zero doubt this man is guilty of the crimes he was charged with and the crimes he wasn’t charged with- the vicious attacks on two other women.

    This man should have the decently to leave town so we can all be safe but I know him well enough to know he has no decency.

    I suggest you read up on sociopaths. They fool everyone. That is their game. You are not alone.

  7. ashevillelokel

    He has claimed all along that he teeth are his own “baby teeth”, and the hair is also his own which was to be contributed to Locks of Love ….

  8. Ezekiel

    Should be easy to confirm or disprove his claim it’s his own hair, using DNA testing. Wonder if it’s already been done?

  9. OUTrage

    Wilson will be released BETWEEN February 27th and May 27th.

    Check your facts Mountain Xpress.

  10. Jon Elliston

    We’ve just called the Buncombe County Detention Facility, and as of this morning, Wilson’s release date remains May 27, according to them

  11. OUTrage

    But if he is transfered to the Department of Corrections, he is entitled to work off some time– that is why his sentence reads 15 TO 18 months.

    He has not been transfered into DOC custody yet so that maybe why the information at Buncombe County Detention is sketchy but I have spoken to DOC and they were clear that all prisoners can work off time and that is why sentences are a range of time.

  12. PLEASE!!

    This is scary! The justice system in Asheville is crap! If this had happened to a UNCA student instead of a prostitute, there would be a different story here! What are the “other” reasons for dismissal of charges I wonder, the form says to ‘specify’ but they did not! Could it be that she wouldn’t show back up to testify?? The state is responsible to pursue these crimes regardless of the woman’s cooperation!!!!!!!!!!

  13. scott

    Wilson is now in Department of Corrections custody and is eligible to work days off his sentence of 15-18 months–

    Which means he likely will be released BEFORE May 27th.

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