Court grants judicial release for aunt in nephew’s slaying

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

YOUNGSTOWN — A woman who pleaded guilty to gross abuse of a corpse and child endangering in the 2001 murder and dismemberment of her nephew has been released from prison.

Jennifer L. Snyder, 36, has been in prison since December 2007 after being sentenced to a four-year term in the death of James P. Higham, 15.

Snyder appeared Wednesday before Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court asking for judicial release from incarceration.

Robert Bush, chief of the criminal division of the county prosecutor’s office, was present for the hearing and told the court the prosecutor’s office would not oppose Snyder’s request.

Judge Sweeney granted the request, placing Snyder on three years’ parole. She must undergo random drug testing while on parole.

Snyder apologized to the judge for her role in her nephew’s death.

“I don’t think words can express how sorry I am that this happened and for my actions,” she said. “When I confessed, I believe it was the start of a new beginning. I can’t bring back my nephew, but I can begin to do things to help other people.”

Snyder said she plans to live with a sister and enter a program to help her remain free from drug abuse.

Snyder was charged in 2007 with tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, child endangerment and permitting child abuse, but two of the charges were dropped upon her plea deal with prosecutors.

Snyder’s former boyfriend, David Sharpe, 46, of Pyatt Street, was charged with murder, tampering with evidence, endangering children, permitting child abuse and gross abuse of a corpse.

Sharpe and Snyder had the teenager with them after his parents split up. His mother had returned to her native Japan, and his father gave custody of the boy to Snyder, a relative through marriage, authorities have said. The teen had no other family in this area.

The indictment says the teen was killed on or around June 15, 2001. Snyder, however, did not report him missing until Jan. 3, 2002, authorities have said.

Authorities believe Sharpe drowned James in a bathtub after a confrontation at a Manchester Avenue home on the city’s West Side, where Snyder was living at the time.

Snyder, while serving time on unrelated charges, implicated Sharpe in the murder.

Atty. Lou DeFabio, representing Snyder, said his client should be granted judicial release. He said her actions at the time of and since the murder speak to her remorse at what took place.

“On that fateful day many years ago, Jennifer’s reaction was to call the police, but David Sharpe took the phone from her, preventing that. From that point on, her drinking escalated, and well-being deteriorated,” DeFabio said. “Without Jennifer’s cooperation, this would have remained a cold case for years.”

jgoodwin@vindy.com