PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA: Alec Rhoads, a resident of Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to serve between 15 months and five years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of Daren Lingenfelter.
The sentence was awarded for the crossbow death of a Bedford County man.
The incident occurred in May 2021 and came to a conclusion when sentencing was delivered on Friday, September 13.
According to reports from WTAJ, Alec Rhoads was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
Tragic crossbow incident
The details of the case indicate that Rhoads shot and killed Daren Lingenfelter with a crossbow. The incident unfolded at Lingenfelter's home, where Rhoads was present.
As per court documents cited by The Bedford Gazette, Rhoads was handed a crossbow while at Lingenfelter's residence.
Tragically, the weapon discharged, resulting in Lingenfelter being struck in the neck. Bedford County District Attorney Dwight Diehl, as reported by The Bedford Gazette, confirmed the details of the incident, which ultimately led to Lingenfelter's tragic death.
Disturbingly, a witness at the scene informed law enforcement that Alec Rhoads made no effort to assist the injured Lingenfelter. Instead, he left the scene when 911 was called, leaving the victim without aid.
WTAJ additionally reported that Rhoads had entered a guilty plea as part of a plea deal. This agreement followed the dropping of original charges, which were later refiled in 2023.
During the refiling of charges, Rhoads was already serving time at the State Correctional Institution Smithfield in Huntingdon County on gun-related charges.
Understanding from the victim's family
According to Dwight Diehl, the plea deal was discussed with the victim's family. While they had preferred a longer sentence, they expressed an understanding of the reasons behind settling.
The plea deal included the dropping of charges of criminal homicide, third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, and recklessly endangering another person.
It's important to note that in 2017, Alec Rhoads had previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge related to the possession of a controlled substance.
This prior conviction meant that he was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
