LANCASTER, PA — The Columbia Borough Police Department and the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office jointly announced that additional charges have been filed against Jason Shackelford regarding the homicide and sexual assaults that occurred in Columbia and East Lampeter Township on Feb. 8 through Feb. 10.
The Columbia Borough Police Department filed one first-degree felony count of rape of a child, one first-degree felony count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and one second-degree felony count of strangulation in addition to the homicide charge involving the 12-year-old victim.
Lancaster County Detectives filed two first-degree felony counts of rape, two first-degree felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and four second-degree felony counts of sexual assault. These charges reflect the alleged conduct of the defendant involving the mother of the victim in Columbia and at the Wyndham Lancaster hotel in East Lampeter Township.
These additional charges were filed on Feb. 15 before Magisterial District Judges Miles Bixler. The additional charges with respect to the 12-year-old victim were filed after an autopsy by the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office confirmed she died of strangulation with signs of sexual abuse.
Shackelford, 39 of Columbia, was charged with homicide on Feb. 10 of his ex-girlfriend’s 12-year-old child. The defendant resided with the mother and the victim in the 500 block of Avenue H, Columbia.
The mother had recently asked the defendant to move out. Police were first alerted to this situation on Feb. 10 after being called to a domestic disturbance at the Wyndham Lancaster hotel in East Lampeter Township.
Officers made contact with Shackelford and the mother, who told officers that while she was working the night shift on Feb. 8 into Feb. 9, Shackelford told her that he kidnapped her daughter from their home.
The mother voluntarily provided a statement to and was interviewed by Columbia Police around 6:50 a.m. on Feb. 10. She stated she received a text while at work around 6:35 a.m. on Feb. 9 from Shackelford saying her daughter was sick and in bed. The mother stated when she returned home from work around 7:45 a.m., Shackelford and she got into an argument, and Shackelford showed her the daughter’s empty bed. Shackelford allegedly stated he took the daughter to New York, and she was safe. The mother stated Shackelford raped her before forcing her to leave to the Wyndham Lancaster hotel with him.
Shackelford allegedly used the daughter’s well-being as leverage and sexually assaulted the mother again at the hotel before allowing her to go smoke a cigarette. At this time, the mother alerted the hotel staff to call the police.
During his interview with Columbia Borough Police, Shackelford admitted he raped and killed the daughter on the night of Feb. 8 into the morning of Feb. 9 at the home in Columbia. He stated he attempted to conceal the victim’s body in a freezer in the basement.
During an initial search of the home by the Columbia Borough Police Department, police discovered the body of a juvenile female located inside a chest freezer in the basement of the home.
Shackelford remains in Lancaster County Prison. His bail was denied due to the homicide charge.
Columbia Borough Police Detective Matthew Leddy and Lancaster County Detective Larry Martin filed charges, which were approved by Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick.
Information, a criminal complaint, or an arrest is not a declaration of guilt. A suspect, arrestee, or defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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