Teen pleads guilty in death of his girlfriend

The victim left behind a
1-year-old daughter her
parents are caring for now.

By LAURE CIOFFI

VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — The man accused of shooting and killing the 19-year-old daughter of a Pennsylvania State Police trooper will spend 111⁄2 to 23 months in county jail for her death.

Lee Campbell III, 19, of South Mercer Street, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter Friday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court in a plea agreement with the county district attorney’s office.

Judge Thomas Piccione immediately sentenced Campbell after receiving the plea agreement. In addition to jail time, Campbell was also ordered to serve 12 months of probation after leaving jail.

A witness at Campbell’s preliminary hearing last year testified that Campbell was attempting to untie a string from a gun when it fired. Campbell was sitting on the floor of a Chestnut Street home Nov. 1 when his girlfriend, Kayla Jones, was hit by the bullet. Jones and another woman were sitting on the bed talking.

“You profess to have loved and cared for that girl. You change. You change immediately. What’s important is you try to do something with the life that has potential and not conduct yourself as you have thus far,” Judge Piccione told Campbell during sentencing.

Jones father, Pennsylvania State Trooper Eric Jones gave Piccione a picture of his granddaughter, Kayla Jones’ daughter who is now 1 year old.

“Basically whatever happened here is not going to bring my daughter back. Here’s a photo of my granddaughter that’s left behind for me and my family to take care of,” Jones said emotionally.

Campbell told the Jones family that he is sorry and offered his sympathy.

Campbell will be given credit for about three months already served in the county jail.

Judge Piccione warned Campbell that if he is charged and convicted of another crime during his prison sentence or probation, he can be resentenced in Jones’ death to the maximum penalty for involuntary manslaughter, which is five years in prison.

cioffi@vindy.com