A Connecticut man pleaded guilty on Feb. 25 to a charge of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a Derby woman two years ago in Troy, Vermont.
Jakiy Tramaine Corey Keith, 26, of Hartford, Connecticut, had faced a first-degree murder charge in the death of Kayla Wright, 29. Police said Keith shot Wright multiple times early on Feb. 2, 2024, inside a residence on Route 100 in Troy.
Under the plea agreement, Keith also pleaded guilty to unauthorized removal of a body. Wright's body was discovered days later in a container on a sandbar in the Missisquoi River.
As part of the deal, Orleans County State’s Attorney Farzana Leyva and defense attorney David Sleigh may argue for any sentence allowed by law. Second-degree murder carries a prison term of 20 years to life; first-degree murder would have meant 35 years to life.
Judge Rory Thibault ordered a pre-sentencing report from the Department of Corrections and said a sentencing hearing would be set for June.
Keith also pleaded guilty earlier this month in federal court to conspiracy to distribute drugs and using a firearm in a drug-trafficking crime. Under that plea deal, the recommended prison term does not exceed 20 years, and the state and federal sentences will run concurrently.
According to police, the shooting stemmed from drug trafficking and Keith's fear that Wright would report his activities. Several others have been arrested on related charges.
Keith has been held in custody since his arrest about a week after the killing.
Originally reported by VTDigger.
Photo: Frank Hoffman via Unsplash. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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