A Peru man was sentenced to two-and-a-half years on Thursday in the 2022 accidental shooting that killed his girlfriend.
Maconaquah High School student Hanna Cox, 18, was killed in the incident. Jeremiah Smith entered a guilty plea to one count of pointing a firearm at another, a Level 6 felony, after taking a plea deal that dropped two other charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless homicide.
On February 24, 2022, police arrived at a residential area near Grissom Air Reserve Base and found Cox in a vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite first responders attempting life-saving measures, Cox eventually died at the scene.
Prior to the shooting, Cox had gone to Smith's home to return his headphones. Smith stated that's when he got into her car to show her a handgun he believed to be unloaded and not working. Smith detailed to police that he was just 'playing' when he pointed and was surprised it went off. After the incident, Snith said he threw the gun and magazine under a bush, which officers later located.
At the time of the shooting Smith was also senior at Maconaquah High School.
Smith is expected to serve a year at the Miami County Jail and 1.5 years of probation from his sentence.
Court documents also stated that Smith will obtain his GED and complete 200 hours of community service at the Kokomo Urban Outreach as part of his sentence.
