Boy, 13, Researched How to Choose 'Perfect' Victim, Killed Neighbor, Then Bragged Online: Prosecutors

The unidentified minor, who is now 14, struck a deal with prosecutors that saw him plead guilty to aggravated murder, aggravated burglary, and strangulation on Monday. He will be held at the facility until he turns 21 as that is the oldest the agency can hold a convicted juvenile.

Citing sloppy mistakes that the juvenile allegedly made while carrying out this murder, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation Agent David Ward said, "He left his DNA; he tried to clean up the crime scene with items that wouldn't have been successful. It was good luck for us that he did make those mistakes, but in the future, is he going to learn from those mistakes?"

Sheila "Denise" Tenpenny was found deceased inside her home on Sunday, February 2, 2025. according to a press release at the time from the Ohio Attorney General's office. Her brother found her and called 911, according to ABC affiliate WCPO and NBC affiliate WLWT, telling the dispatcher, "I think my sister's been murdered. She got her face covered with a pillow ... She did not respond when I yelled at her."

Authorities quickly declared Tenpenny's death "suspicious" and stated that her alleged killer was likely male and had seemingly been injured in the fatal assault. Law&Crime reports there was evidence that the victim had fought back even as she was being attacked, with investigators stating they found hair in her hands from her alleged attacker, DNA under her broken fingernails, and blood in the house from where they believe she'd scratched him on the face.

A preliminary autopsy report determined Tenpenny had trauma to her head and neck. In court on Monday, prosecutors alleged that the defendant broke into Tenpenny's home sometime between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. and found his victim asleep in her bed and struck her, causing blunt force trauma, before strangling her until she died.

Prosecutor Linda Scott argued that in the months leading up to the murder, the defendant allegedly "researched how to strangle someone, how to do it, how to find a victim," per WLWT. She emphasized that "for months the defendant did this sort of research."

Then, after leaving Tenpenny's house that morning, leaving enough physical evidence behind for investigators to track him down, according to prosecutors, the 13-year-old allegedly returned to the internet and "notified all his social media people," per WCPO's coverage. Prosecutors claimed he sent out the message, "This one was a fighter."

Agent Ward spoke at his hearing Monday, saying that in his 25 years working in violent crimes "this is the first time I've ever had a person of this age commit this type of crime. And to add to that the premeditation of the offense is just chilling to me."

He went on to say that there were additional "disturbing" social media communications uncovered in the investigation, including "how to defeat police interrogation." After he was swabbed for DNA by the police, Ward alleged that the boy returned to social media and said, "I think I just got caught."

It was ten days after Tenpenny's murder that her teen neighbor was arrested and charged. As part of his plea deal, six additional charges that had been brought against him have been dismissed.

It also removed the "serious youth offender" indictment, which would have subjected the teen to a longer term in adult prison should he commit serious misconduct in the juvenile facility, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

"It's very disturbing," Ward said of the case in court, emphasizing his concerns that the boy may have only learned from the mistakes he made this time for when he might find himself free as an adult. "That's what I'm concerned about," he said.

Tenpenny's family was also in court, per WCPO, with several delivering impact statements through tears, or having them read for them, as they spoke about how she was a beloved aunt and like a second mother to her nieces and nephews.

"What you did was not an accident, it was deliberate and it was planned. You chose her because you thought she was alone and no one would notice or care. You were wrong. She was deeply loved," read a statement from one niece, per WLWT. "You thought no one would grieve her, instead you shattered an entire circle of people."

The victim's brother-in-law, Troy Navarre, spoke directly to the teen defendant at the hearing. "For the juvenile murderer, I do feel sorry for you," he told him. "Sorry that you had a family that did not teach you right from wrong. For the family of the murderer, I'm sorry for you too. Sorry that you appear to not know how to teach your offspring the difference between right and wrong. Maybe you don't even know it yourself."

Another niece said, "You took my aunt, my second mother. She was a constant in my life. The fame you wanted doesn't exist. The punishment doesn't match the cruelty of your actions."

As part of his deal, the juvenile is ordered to not request early release, as it will be denied. He also was given an order of zero contact with the victim's family and must complete his education, earning a high school diploma.