In a turn of events that has distressed a grieving family, Shannon Young, connected to the murder of Phoenix man Jake Kelly, entered a plea of guilty to hindering prosecution, according to details from ABC15. The plea deal could lead to Young avoiding prison time, though she originally faced nearly nine years behind bars for her involvement in the case.
Shannon Young and her husband, Cory Young, were both charged after the August 2023 incident in which Kelly was discovered with life-threatening injuries at the residence he shared with the pair. Rather than seeking immediate medical help, it is reported that the couple moved Kelly to a bathtub and subsequently left him without care, "before leaving him on a couch left without medical care for nearly 18 hours," as ABC15 details.
The details surrounding the case are harrowing. Kelly, a 49-year-old man, succumbed to his injuries after what appears to have been a brutal assault. In a statement obtained by Arizona's Family, Jan Kelly, the victim's mother, expressed deep sorrow and disbelief at the outcome: “Nothing that happens to them is going to feel right because it’s not going to bring Jake back. It’s horrible, horrible to think about.”
While Shannon Young might face up to five years of probation, the community and Jake Kelly's family are tormented by the possibility of her avoiding imprisonment. In contrast, Cory Young remains in custody and, is known to be a previously convicted felon with ties to white supremacy—the nature of which was made visible through his social media, according to reporting by ABC15. "I’m hoping Angel does his time, all of it," Jan Kelly told Arizona's Family, "I hope Cory does maximum he can do because I feel Cory is dangerous and should be off the street."
Adding a layer of complexity to the already fraught case, the fact that Jake was gay has led to his mother's conviction that his murder may have been a hate crime. She awaits justice for her son, with the sentencing of Shannon Young set for December 4 and the trial date for the case scheduled for December 11.
