A 14-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to murdering a woman described as a “beacon of light” after breaking into her home in the early hours.
The teenager, who was 13 at the time of the murder and has not been named, killed Sheila Denise Tenpenny, 64, at her home in Fairfax, Ohio, on February 2.
On Monday, he pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder, one count of aggravated burglary, and one count of strangulation, WCPO reported.
Highlights
- A 14-year-old boy pleaded guilty to murdering 64-year-old Sheila Denise Tenpenny in her Ohio home in February 2024.
- The boy researched strangulation and police interrogation methods before breaking into Tenpenny's home between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.
- Tenpenny fought back, leaving DNA evidence when she scratched the boy and pulled his hair during the attack.
The teenage boy pleaded guilty to murdering Sheila Denise Tenpenny
Image credits: WCPO
Tenpenny, understood to live near the boy, was found dead by her brother, who phoned 911 to alert law enforcement.
“She got her face covered with a pillow,” he told dispatchers, according to a police report. “She did not respond when I yelled at her.”
It emerged in court that the boy had spent the months before Tenpenny’s murder researching how to strangle someone and defeat a police interrogation.
Prosecutors said the boy found Tenpenny in bed after breaking into her home between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. that day.
He caused blunt force trauma by striking her on the head and then strangled her until she died.
Image credits: Vankirk Grisell Funeral Home
Tenpenny fought back, scratching the boy on the face and pulling out some of his hair during the struggle, as per WCPO, leading to investigators gathering DNA evidence.
After the boy committed the murder, prosecutors said he went home and “notified his social media people” by posting online, “This one was a fighter.”
Then, after he was swabbed for DNA by investigators, he reportedly posted, “I think I just got caught.”
He was charged with the murder on February 12 and, after pleading guilty this week, will be jailed by the Department of Youth Services until he turns 21 years old.
Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation Agent David Ward told the court that he had never investigated a perpetrator so young for such a serious crime, WCPO reported.
“I must say this is the first time I’ve ever had a person of this age commit this type of crime,” Ward said. “And to add to that the premeditation of the offense is just chilling to me. As the investigation went on and continued, his social media communications with individuals ... there were several other communications that are very disturbing.”
He added, “I understand the limitations to the law and the fact that he can only be incarcerated until he's 21—my fear is he made missteps in this case.
“He made mistakes. He left his DNA; he tried to clean up the crime scene with items that wouldn't have been successful. It was good luck for us that he did make those mistakes, but in the future, is he going to learn from those mistakes? That's what I'm concerned about.”
Tenpenny was found dead inside her home on February 2
Image credits: WCPO
In an obituary from Vankirk Grisell Funeral Home, Tenpenny was described as a beacon of light who was a devoted sister and auntie.
“Sheila Denise was a beacon of light who touched the lives of many with her kind heart, unwavering resilience, and exceptional humor, leaving behind a legacy filled with valuable lessons and unforgettable memories that will continue to inspire those who were fortunate enough to know her,” the obituary read.