x
Breaking News
More () »

Columbia man appears in court for formal arraignment in death of 12-year-old

The formal arraignment for a Columbia man, who is accused of raping and murdering a 12-year-old girl in February, gets underway today.

LANCASTER, Pa. — The formal arraignment for a Columbia man who is accused of raping and murdering a 12-year-old girl in February gets underway today. 

39-year-old Jason Shackelford will appear in Lancaster County Court today to receive an indictment of the exact charges lodged against him by the Commonwealth.

Columbia Borough Police filed a number of charges against Shackleford including: 

  • One first-degree felony count of rape of a child

  • Two first-degree felony counts of involuntary deviated sexual intercourse

  • One second-degree felony count of strangulation

  • Criminal homicide

Lancaster County Detectives also filed two first-degree felony counts of rape, two first-degree felony counts of involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, and four second-degree felony counts of sexual assault against Shackelford. 

The charges were filed following the autopsy of 12-year-old Elaina Smith by the Lancaster County Coroner's Office, which confirmed she died of strangulation and had signs of sexual abuse. 

The Columbia Borough School District, where Smith attended as a 7th grader, released the following statement regarding her death:

According to police, during Shackelford's initial interview, he admitted to raping and killing Smith, on the night of Feb. 8 into the morning of Feb. 9 at a home along the 500 block of Avenue H in Columbia. 

Shackelford allegedly told police that he attempted to hide the girl's body in a basement freezer. 

During the initial search of the home by the Columbia Borough Police Department, officers reportedly discovered the body of a juvenile teen inside a basement chest freezer. Authorities confirmed the body to be that of Smith, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Shackelford waived his right to a preliminary hearing and will appear for a formal arraignment at Lancaster County Courthouse today. 

Download the FOX43 app here. 

Before You Leave, Check This Out