Man gets 20 years for beating, stabbing grandmother to death

Jeremy Owens elected not to say anything Friday as he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for beating and stabbing to death his grandmother, Brenice Champlin, in 2011.

Prior to handing down the sentence, which was set out in a plea agreement reached in the case in March, Judge Tom Jensen had a few words for Owens, 34, about the case and the sentence.

“This is appalling,” Jensen said. “The way she treated you and cared for you, the penalty should have been more severe.”

Under Kentucky Law, the death penalty is only applicable if there are aggravating circumstances such as the commission of another crime including: first-degree robbery, first-degree rape, first-degree burglary, or first-degree sodomy, the murder is committed for money for profit, or the murder victim is under an emergency protective order, domestic violence order or other order designed to protect the victim from the murderer.

The death penalty was not applicable, but Owens was facing 20 to 50 years or life in prison if the case had went to trial and he had been found guilty.

Under Kentucky Law, Jensen had the right to decline to accept the plea agreement when it was tendered. However, he elected not to do so.

Owens, who has been held in the Laurel County Correctional facility since he was arrested, will receive credit for that time toward the service of his sentence.

Under Kentucky Law, Owens must serve 85 percent (17 years) before he is eligible for parole.

Owens was arrested on July 27, 2011 following an investigation by Laurel County Sheriff’s deputies.

Deputies say that Owens and the woman, Bernice Champlin allegedly got into a heated argument at her home on Queen Road in Lily. As the argument escalated, things turned physical and Owens beat, and stabbed and shot Champlin.

Two days prior to the incident, Owens had posted on his Facebook page, "Mamaw needs to die."

Results of the autopsy showed that Champlin had been stabbed at least once in the body and shot once in the head. In addition, Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, Public Affairs Officer at the sheriff’s department, said Owens beat his grandmother in the face with his fists.

Deputies responded to a complaint of a shooting. As they arrived on scene, Owens’ brother, Josh, told deputies that Jeremy had shot Champlin and was still inside the home and armed with a pistol.

After a short standoff, Sheriff John Root was able to talk Jeremy Owens into surrendering to deputies.

Acciardo said Jeremy Owens has never told deputies what he and Champlin were arguing about, or what motivated him to kill her However, Jeremy Owens lived across the street from Champlin and was frequently at her home.

Laurel County Sheriff’s Senior Deputy Sgt. Greg Poynter, who transported Owens to jail after he was taken into custody, reported that Owens told him that he had been pushed over the edge and couldn’t take it anymore. However, Owens never explained to investigators what he meant by that.

Deputies found Champlin’s body in the hallway of the home. When questioned about the incident during Owens’ preliminary hearing in Laurel District Court in Sept. 2011, Laurel County Sheriff’s Detective Billy Madden said Jeremy Owens said he had been in a fight and struggled with Champlin before blacking out. When he woke up, he was draped over her body with the gun in his hand.