CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The man who pleaded guilty to killing Nancy Lynch told her family Friday he never intended to hurt her.
Timothy Paul Shafer, 29, pleaded guilty to killing Lynch at her Jefferson Avenue home in St. Albans in January. He told the court that co-defendant Jessica May Wilson did the actual killing by stabbing Lynch, 66, in the neck. He said the two had gone there Jan. 4 to steal money and drugs, and when Lynch told them she didn’t have any Wilson became upset.
Shafer did admit to returning to the house two days later to steal more from Lynch while her body was still there. He was with Megan Hughes at the time. Hughes pleaded guilty to accessory and burglary charges earlier this week.
Prosecutors said they will ask Kanawha County Circuit Judge Duke Bloom to consider a mercy sentence on the murder plea for Shafer at his Aug. 22 sentencing. He also pleaded guilty to a number of other charges including robbery, burglary and grand larceny.
Wilson still faces the changes. She has for now been ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial.