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ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — The Latest on the trial of a soldier accused of killing his teen girlfriend's mother (all times local):
7:55 p.m.
A soldier accused in the killing of his then-14-year-old girlfriend's mother because she disapproved of their relationship has been found guilty of first degree murder.
The Morning Call reports (http://bit.ly/2aRANn5 ) that It took the jury about four hours Friday to reach its verdict in the trial of Army Spc. Caleb Barnes of El Paso, Texas. He will be sentenced to life in prison on Sept. 19. First degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence.
Barnes was accused of killing Cheryl Silvonek in March 2015 in Pennsylvania. Her now-15-year-old daughter, Jamie, pleaded guilty and is serving 35 years to life.
Jamie Silvonek, testifying for the defense on Friday, described how Barnes slit her mother's throat.
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This item has been corrected to show that Jamie Silvonek testified for the defense, not the prosecution.
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4:25 p.m.
Jurors are now deliberating at the murder trial of a soldier who's accused of killing his then-14-year-old girlfriend's mother because she disapproved of their relationship.
Jurors got the case of Army Spc. Caleb Barnes late Friday afternoon.
The El Paso, Texas, man is accused of stabbing Cheryl Silvonek in March 2015 in Pennsylvania. Her now-15-year-old daughter, Jamie, pleaded guilty and is serving 35 years to life.
The 22-year-old Barnes testified Friday that Jamie Silvonek, not he, killed her mother and that he helped dispose of evidence only because the teen claimed to be pregnant.
As part of her plea deal, Silvonek was supposed to testify for prosecutors but instead took the stand for the defense Friday. She said she was "inexorably, ineffably in love" with Barnes. But she described how Barnes slit her mother's throat.
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1 p.m.
A soldier accused of killing his 14-year-old girlfriend's mother says the girl did it, not him, and he helped dispose of evidence only because she claimed to be pregnant.
Army Spc. Caleb Barnes' testimony Friday came after the now-15-year-old Jamie Silvonek surprisingly took the stand in his defense.
She was slotted to testify for prosecutors as part of her plea deal but wasn't called.
She told the court Friday she was "in love" with the 22-year-old Barnes.
Barnes, who's from El Paso, Texas, is accused of stabbing Cheryl Silvonek in March 2015 in Pennsylvania. He was based at Fort Meade in Maryland.
The Morning Call of Allentown reports Barnes says he was asleep in his car when Jamie knocked on his window, covered in blood.
She is serving 35 years to life.
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11:30 a.m.
A 15-year-old Pennsylvania girl who pleaded guilty to plotting with her soldier boyfriend to kill her mother has taken the stand at his murder trial, saying in his defense she's "inexorably, ineffably in love" with him.
Jamie Silvonek's testimony was a surprise at Army Spc. Caleb Barnes' trial Friday. On Thursday, she was slotted to testify for the prosecution as part of her plea deal but wasn't called to the stand.
The 22-year-old Barnes is accused of stabbing Cheryl Silvonek in March 2015 in Pennsylvania.
The Morning Call of Allentown reports Jamie Silvonek read aloud from a letter to Barnes. She also says she had no physical part in killing her mother.
Silvonek was 14 at the time of killing and pleaded guilty in February. She's serving 35 years to life.
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