Watch CBS News

Man Pleads Guilty To Fayette County Woman's Murder, Sentenced To 15-30 Years

Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter

UNIONTOWN (KDKA) – A man has pleaded guilty to the murder of a Fayette County woman, who was missing for more than a month.

On Thursday, 32-year-old Thomas Teets accepted a plea bargain in the murder of 31-year-old Leah Owens. He was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison.

The district attorney offered the plea deal based on Teets showing investigators where Owens was buried.

"I wanted Leah home. I don't know what my future holds, none of us know what our future holds," Owens' mother, Camilla Crosby, said.

She said that was the primary reason she gave an okay to the deal.

On Oct. 26, 2017, and with Teets' information, police found Owens' body buried in a shallow grave on a rural road above Dunbar Township. The 31-year-old mother of two children had been stabbed to death.

Her blood was found on a knife blade, Teet's blood was found on the handle, investigators said.

Owens had been missing since Sept. 15.

"When she told me she'd be back in 20 minutes to shower and go see her babies as I was leaving for radiation, I thought nothing of it. But I never heard from Leah again after that. I knew within hours, mother's intuition, that something bad had happened," Crosby said.

During the hearing, Owens' sister, Lauren Solosky, addressed Teets, saying: "I'm heartbroken to know my sister's children will grow up without their mother. However, I will take comfort in knowing your children will grow up knowing you are a murderer."

Teets later addressed the family in court. He remained seated, but turned toward Crosby and said, "I'm sorry I hurt your family."

Teets was charged with homicide, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse, robbery, theft and tampering with evidence.

He will serve his sentence at the SCI Greene facility.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.