LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A Columbia man has been sentenced to life in prison for raping and killing 12-year-old Elaina Smith and raping a second victim in February of 2023.
According to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office, Jason Shackleford, 40, from the 500 block of Avenue H, 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.
“I’m a lifelong Lancaster County resident,” prosecuting Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick said during the proceeding. “This is one of the most vile, heinous crimes we’ve ever seen here. I hope he thinks about Elaina’s face every day for the rest of his life and he’s tortured by it.”
Lancaster County Judge Jeffery Wright accepted the guilty plea and sentenced Shackelford to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 40 years on the first docket charges that he raped, strangled and killed Smith.
He was also sentenced to an additional life plus 25 to 50 years in prison for raping a second victim, which was a second-strike offense.
“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.”
Shackelford admitted to raping and killing Elaina Smith when the two were alone in Columbia on the night of Feb. 8, 2023 into Feb. 9.
ADA Haverstick laid out the facts of the case that the two were watching a movie before Shackelford strangled Smith and put her dead body in a freezer.
East Lampeter Township Police were later dispatched to the Wyndham Lancaster Hotel at 2300 Lincoln Highway East for a domestic disturbance on Feb. 10.
Officers contacted Shackelford and a second victim, who told officers that while she was working the night shift from Feb. 8 into Feb. 9 Shackelford said he kidnapped Smith.
The victim voluntarily provided a statement to and was interviewed by Columbia Police around 6:50 a.m. on Feb. 10 and stated Shackelford and she were going through a breakup, and she recently asked him to move out. The victim stated she received a text while at work around 6:35 a.m. on Feb. 9 from Shackelford saying Smith was sick and in bed.
The victim stated when she returned home from work around 7:45 a.m., Shackelford and she got into an argument, and Shackelford showed her Smith’s empty bed. Shackelford stated he took Smith to New York, and she was safe.
The second victim stated Shackelford raped her before forcing her to go to the Wyndham Lancaster Hotel with him.
Shackelford used Smith’s well-being as leverage and sexually assaulted the second victim again at the hotel before allowing her to go smoke a cigarette. At this time, the victim alerted hotel staff to call the police.
