'Rust' Armorer's Family Begs Judge For Leniency Amid Father's Cancer Diagnosis

The friends and family of "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed submitted letters to Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer begging for leniency after a jury spent less than three hours finding her guilty in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

In January 2023, the rookie armorer and actor Alec Baldwin were both charged with involuntary manslaughter. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was later charged with tampering with evidence, but was acquitted when a witness admitted that she threw away a bag of white powder that she believed to be cocaine before it could be submitted for testing.

The boyfriend of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, as well as her family, friends, and former colleagues, all submitted letters of support to Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ahead of her sentencing on Monday, April 15.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, her boyfriend and childhood friend Sean Kridelbaugh Jr. asked the judge for leniency, as she is currently taking care of her father following his cancer diagnosis. Calling her a "great caring person," he went on to say that she is "loved by everyone that truly knows her."

In his letter, Sean Kridelbaugh Jr. wrote, "She's always helping people and going out of her way to make sure people are okay. She's a part of her community and always working and taking care of her dad."

"She's an amazing person that the media is painting a bad picture about. To say she isn't remorseful would be an understatement," he continued. "These past few years have been the hardest for her mentally with not only Ms. Hutchins death but with all the harassment and threats she gets from the case being highly public and the release of her personal information."

He went on to write, "She understands that Ms. Hutchins family will never get her back and she cries constantly for them. I know for sure that she's remorseful everyday all day and night. Dreaming about it and all. All the trauma I'm sure."

In addition to concerns about her mental health, he also expressed concern for how it would hurt her family. "Her being incarcerated will impact her taking care of her father at home with cancer. Not asking you to let her off just asking for a more lenient sentence of house arrest, probation, fines, and community service or something," he concluded.

In addition to the lengthy letter written by her boyfriend, her friends, family members, and former colleagues also submitted letters of support to vouch for her character.

Her aunt wrote that "she is kind and smart and the last person that should be in jail." She praised the rookie armorer not only for taking care of her father, but for helping her mother at work.

Another person who submitted a letter of support was her former roommate, John Harper Felsch, who has been a friend of Ms. Gutierrez since 2016. "Hannah would often be the first to welcome me into uncomfortabie social situations and highlight my character to make me feel more welcome," he told the judge. "She has fed me when I was hungry when I had no money to purchase food for myself."

Another close friend, Rani Hutcherson, wrote, "Throughout our friendship, Hannah is a source of unwavering support and encouragement during some of my darkest moments. Whether I was grappling with relationship challenges or battling depression, Hannah is always there to offer a listening ear, sage advice and comforting presence while living over 20 hours away now."

Joey Merrigan, her former employer, states that "Hannah demonstrated remarkable dedication, professionalism, and talent. She consistently produced high-quality work and displayed a strong commitment to her responsibilities. Her creativity, attention to detail, and ability to effectively engage with our audience were invaluable assets to our team."

"Outside of her professional skills, I also had the opportunity to observe Hannah's personal qualities," Merrigan continued. "She conducted herself with integrity, honesty, and reliability, earning the respect and trust of her colleagues and supervisors."

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed faces 18 months behind bars and up to $5,000 in fines. Her sentencing hearing is set for Monday, April 15.