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Jason Shackelford, of the 500 block of Avenue H in Columbia, PA, "admitted guilt on charges of first-degree murder, rape of a child, two counts of rape, three counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, four counts of sexual assault, and strangulation," the DA stated in the release.
Elaina Smith of Columbia Borough was raped, strangled, and hidden in a basement freezer by her mom's ex-boyfriend, Shackelford, between Feb. 8 and 9, 2023, as Daily Voice previously reported.
"He stated he attempted to conceal the victim’s body in a freezer in the basement," the DA said. Elaina was later found in the chest freezer.
Shackelford is a registered sex offender, according to the Pennsylvania State Police’s registry known as Megan's List. He was also on probation at the time of Elaina's death after serving two years in prison for an assault involving terroristic threats with a firearm, court records show.
The East Lampeter Township police initially brought him into custody for questioning after a disturbance with the girl's mom, Tiffany Landis at the Wyndham Lancaster Hotel 2300 block of Lincoln Way East on Friday, Fed. 10, 2023. .
Shackelford had apparently left Elaina in the freezer and had texted Tiffany that she was sick in bed, but when she returned home around 7:30 a.m. and found the bed empty, he claimed he had taken the tween to New York and she was safe, according to the DA's release.
But then began to use Elaina's well-being as leverage, kidnapping Tiffany, taking her to a hotel, and raping her, the DA explained.
Tiffany only escaped when Shackelford let her go take a smoke and she alerted the hotel staff who contacted the police.
Shackelford was sentenced by Judge Jeffery Wright to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 40 years on the first docket of charges that the defendant raped, strangled, and killed Smith, and he was sentenced to an additional life plus 25 to 50 years for raping her mom, which was a second-strike offense as a registered offender, the DA explained.
“Remember Elaina’s name, her smile,” Judge Wright said to Smith’s family in the gallery. “Remember the light and hope she brought into your life.”
The community has continued to rally to support Tiffany through this difficult and traumatic time through a GoFundMe organized by family friend Shelly Vance.
"She would light up the room with her laugh and smile," one donor wrote about Elaina on the campaign page.
Click here if you would like to donate to the GoFundMe campaign.
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