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Updated: 3:07 PM Nov 19, 2009
Woman shot, killed in Sevierville apartment
An 18-year-old woman was murdered at a Sevier County apartment Tuesday, and investigators says she was killed by the man who lived at the Murrell Meadows Dr. apartment where she was found dead, according to a SCSO news release.
Posted: 2:56 AM Nov 18, 2009 |
Police say Leah V. Arvil, 18, was murdered on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009.
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48 Comments 
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SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Friends say Leah Avril was full of life, as amazing as she was beautiful.
Tonight, the 18 year old recent Sevier County High graduate is dead.
Deputies say her boyfriend, 21-year-old Jacob Stanton shot and killed her about 24 hours ago.
Talking to Leah's friends, she won't soon be forgotten.
One look at her Facebook page proves it.
Dozens and dozens of friends posting memorials to her.
Among them, Chelsea, Taylor, and Lauren who say they'll never forget Leah and her one of a kind smile.
"There was Facebook status going around like crazy and nobody really believed it at first. Slowly but surely everyone found out for sure," says Aaron Medlin, who cheered with Leah in school.
For the good friends of Leah Avril, Facebook was one way of finding out she had died but for some it couldn't have gotten any worse.
"I was actually leaving a funeral and I was in the parking lot and I just couldn't believe it," says Chelsea Reagan, a close friend of Leah's.
This one time Sevier County High School cheerleader was known as a loving person by her friends.
"That she was so caring. She cared about everything and everyone," says Taylor Gonzalez, a close friend of Leah's.
21 year old Jacob Stanton is charged with her murder after she was found with a gunshot wound to her chest in a bed at an apartment off Murrell Meadows Drive around 6 pm Tuesday.
Some who knew Stanton called him a hothead.
"I've had conflicts with the kid before myself. Anger wise, there was never discussing anything. It was always jump to conclusion," says Dustin Palmeri, who knows the suspect.
Before the murder Stanton was charged with possession of marijuana and prescription pills.
An ex-girlfriend took out an order of protection against him just last year.
That was dismissed when she failed to come to court.
Leah's friends remember her as a true friend who went above and beyond the call of duty.
"She went with me to get my hair done for three hours just to sit there and talk to me and laugh," says Reagan.
They're just disappointed they didn't get to say goodbye.
"It made me feel bad because I just hope she knew she meant a lot to me," says Lauren Latham, a close friend of Leah's.
Stanton was arraigned Wednesday morning by a judge.
He remains in the Sevier County Jail on a million dollar bond.
We'll pass along funeral arrangements for Avril when we have them.
SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) – An 18-year-old woman was murdered at a Sevier County apartment Tuesday, and investigators says she was killed by the man who lived at the Murrell Meadows Dr. apartment where she was found dead, according to a SCSO news release.
It happened just before 6:00 p.m. in apartment 21 at the Glen Meadows Apartment complex.
Officers responding to a shooting call found Leah V. Avril, of Robert Henderson Rd in Sevierville, lying on a bed with a gunshot wound to her chest, the release states.
Avril was flown to UT Medical Center by Lifestar. She was pronounced dead on arrival.
Deputies arrested Jacob A. Stanton, 21, and charged him with second degree murder.
Details about the events leading up to the shooting and the nature of Stanton's relationship with Avril have not been released.
Detectives say the investigation is ongoing.
Stay with Volunteer TV News and VolunteerTV.com for the latest on this developing story.
Latest Comments
People should not pass judgement on someone.... someone posted an eye for an eye, well that is in the old testament. We should not pass judgement on anyone. Mistakes do happen and we dont know the whole story. We may never know the whole story and this is a tragedy and I send my prayers out to the girls family but we have a legal system for a reason. Let the facts come and the justice system do its job. I hope that the people screaming the death pen. take a good look in thier own lives and realize they have many faults of thier own.
In my opinion Jacob should get the death penalty an eye for an eye right. Leah was a great person who brought happiness to everyone she was around and did not deserve this. Her friends and family did not deserve this either and my regards go out to all of them. Leah we love you and miss you.
To eveybody that says jake is such a hothead,he should burn in Hell,put him in the chair..i know it is prolly hard for u to accept that leah leftthis way.Its horrible.But you still shouldnt say these things about Jake.He really truely is a wonderful person inside and out.He is my cousin and when i hear these things its makes me so sad!Iknow he messed up with this situation.we all need to realize that accidents DO HAPPEN everyday all around us!also everybody should maybe egts their facts right too b/c her not only just blatently took the gun and straight out pointed it @ her. her was poutting it in the box ad it went off.and also HER FINGER PRINTS WERE ON THE GUN TOO!my love and prayers go to Leahs famiy and friends also.Point is dont judge people on 1 mistake we all make them.and for ppl who say "kill him he deserves it"just thinks how jakes family will feel.just as bad as leahs. and i know for a fact that jake and his family are already suffering enough just think of you in his shoes..
