Jade Janks found guilty of killing stepfather Tom Merriman after finding nude images of herself on his computer
A California girl has been uncovered guilty in the demise of her stepfather just after prosecutors stated she observed nude pictures of herself on his laptop, the San Diego district attorney confirmed on Wednesday.
Jade Janks, a 39-12 months-aged inside designer from Solana Seaside, was convicted of first-degree murder after the jury deliberated for just over just one working day, CBS affiliate KFMB-Television set described. Prosecutors say Janks drugged her stepfather, Tom Merriman, and strangled him on Dec. 31, 2020.
She faces a sentence of up to everyday living in jail when she is sentenced following spring.
Deputies located Merriman’s entire body less than a pile of trash on Jan. 2, 2021, KFMB documented. They later arrested Janks and billed her with murder, alleging she gave Merriman a deadly blend of sleeping pills and suffering killers.
For the duration of the demo, prosecutors alleged that Janks planned Merriman’s killing immediately after she uncovered hundreds of nude pictures of her on his personal computer, the station reported. Some of the photos showed Janks when she was just 16 years outdated, her attorney alleged.
Prosecutors said they found textual content messages that Janks despatched to a male pal on the working day that Merriman died, KFMB documented. In just one of the texts browse in court, Janks allegedly wrote: “I just dosed the hell out of him.”
Afterwards, she allegedly texted the similar pal, “It can be really much completed,” asking her buddy for support moving Merriman out of the again of her SUV. “I can’t maintain a kicking body in my truck. I’m about to club him on the head and he is waking up,” just one textual content shown in courtroom read through.
Janks’ defense lawyers alleged that Janks despatched the textual content messages times soon after she found out the nude images on his laptop though she was cleaning his home, KFMB documented.
“It was the most violating, awful, gut-wrenching feeling ever,” testified Janks throughout the trial.
Janks also testified she experienced a robust relationship with Merriman when she was youthful and moved in following door him in 2020 to enable get treatment of him, the station reported.
“I have always been the caretaker for Mr. Merriman, whenever anything would go wrong. If he harm himself, I’d go get bandages. If he was ill, I’d go get soup. If he desired a trip to the medical professional, I took him,” Janks testified.
Janks’ lawyers also argued that Merriman was an alcoholic who would typically blend liquor with sleeping supplements.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 3.