A 19-year-old McKees Rocks man was sentenced to eight to 56 months of incarceration after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of his 20-year-old girlfriend, who was fatally shot inside his bedroom in March. Jayden Knight will be placed on electronic home monitoring once he is released, and prosecutors say he was handling a firearm that accidentally discharged while he was with Maya Parker on March 20.
Knight entered his guilty plea in Allegheny County on Wednesday, according to TribLIVE.com. Judge Bruce Beemer ordered the eight-to-56-month sentence. Parker, who prosecutors say lived at the apartment with Knight and his family, died from the accidental shooting that day.
According to an earlier police account reported by community.triblive.com, officers responded to an apartment building at 23 Singer Ave. just after 8 p.m. for a report of a woman who had been shot. Two witnesses told police they heard a loud pop followed by the apartment's front door opening and closing, then entered Knight's room to find Parker bleeding from the head. Knight's mother found Parker bleeding, called 911 and attempted to render aid, per the seed facts in the case.
Knight Found at a Bus Stop, Told Officers 'I Did It'
Police found Knight at a bus stop across the street, according to the prosecutor's account. When an officer arrived, Knight said, “I'm the one you're looking for; I did it,” and told police the gun was “in the room,” per the same police account. Officers recovered a 9mm handgun and one spent casing in the bedroom.
Parker was pronounced dead around 9:15 p.m. at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, per the police account relayed to community.triblive.com. That earlier report had stated Knight was facing a criminal homicide charge after police alleged he shot Parker once in the head — a charge status that predates Wednesday's guilty plea and sentencing.
Girlfriend's Grandmother Says Family Still Seeks Answers
Maya Parker's grandmother, Jacalyn R. Mills, said her family did not know Knight and still sought answers about what happened. She described Parker as well-loved, cared for, beautiful and vibrant, and said her family was very proud of her. Mills also said Parker's voice was not being heard.
Annie Birdsong said Knight was holding the firearm when it discharged. Knight's attorney, Leslie Perlow, said he immediately took responsibility for what happened and described him as a respectful, kind young man with no prior criminal record. Knight previously worked with the Job Corps and hopes to return there after his release.
Knight's Written Apology to the Court
In a court statement, Knight wrote that he never intended for the incident to happen and that he had planned to have a family with Parker and grow old together. He wrote that his mother attempted to save Parker's life, and in a statement read by his attorney, he apologized to Maya's friends and family and his own family. Knight also wrote that the death could have been avoided had he not had the weapon around Parker, or at all.
How Pennsylvania Defines the Charge
Under Pennsylvania law, involuntary manslaughter is defined as causing another person's death as a direct result of an unlawful act done recklessly or with gross negligence, or a lawful act carried out in a reckless or grossly negligent manner, according to Pennsylvania General Assembly, 18 Pa.C.S. § 2504. The offense is generally classified as a first-degree misdemeanor, with an exception making it a second-degree felony when the victim is under 12 and in the care, custody or control of the person who caused the death.
