Guilty Plea, Sentencing in 2017 Stockdale Family Killings

CANTON, Ohio (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – Resolution to one of the bigger murder cases of the last several years in Stark County.

28-year-old Jacob Stockdale was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison Wednesday for the shooting deaths of his 54-year-old mother Kathryn and 21-year-old brother James at the Bethlehem Township family home on Route 212 back in 2017.

Stockdale pleaded guilty to two murder counts.

Two firearms specifications, however, were dismissed.

Stockdale was set to go to trial next month.

He shot himself in the head after the murders, but survived.

County Prosecutor Kyle Stone tells WHBC News he is satisfied with the outcome.

Stone says it is unusual when the victim and defendant’s families are one and the same.

He believes this provides an opportunity for surviving family members to heal.