Defendant pleads guilty in death of 18-year-old found in Capitol Forest
One of the two men charged in the shooting death of an 18-year-old man found in Capitol State Forest in October 2016 has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later this month.
Jonathan Ackerman, 32, was scheduled to go to trial in March. Instead he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder (domestic violence) on Tuesday and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 25.
His co-defendant, Vincent Garlock, 30, also has negotiated a plea deal. His change of plea and sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23.
Dakota Walker, 18, was found shot to death in Capitol Forest on Oct. 20, 2016. Investigators have said Walker was engaged in a domestic relationship with Ackerman and they believed Walker was killed because he was planning to report criminal activity by Ackerman and Garlock to police.
Prosecutors said the men took Walker to Capitol Forest to kill him.
Abby Spegman: 360-704-6869, @AbbySpegman
This story was originally published January 13, 2018 at 3:08 PM with the headline "Defendant pleads guilty in death of 18-year-old found in Capitol Forest."