On the evening of Friday, February 26, 2021, a gathering of friends in Woodward Township, Pennsylvania, took a tragic turn, resulting in the death of 21-year-old Jakob Lee Haines. Haines, a resident of Beech Creek, was at the home of his friend, 19-year-old Brian St. John III, when the fatal incident occurred.
According to police reports, several people were at the St. John residence when St. John took out a Taurus Judge revolver from a kitchen drawer.
He pointed the gun at Haines and pulled the trigger, firing a single shot that struck Haines in the chest. Emergency services were called, but Haines was pronounced dead at the scene. The Clinton County Coroner later confirmed the cause of death as a close-contact gunshot wound to the chest and ruled the manner of death a homicide.
Brian St. John III was taken into custody following the shooting and was subsequently charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and recklessly endangering another person. In his statement to the police, St. John admitted to firing the shot but claimed that they 'were messing around with the gun when it went off.' He was held at the Clinton County Correctional Facility without bail.
In September 2023, Brian St. John III pleaded guilty to reduced charges of aggravated assault, a felony, and involuntary manslaughter, a misdemeanor. This plea was part of an agreement that involved the victim's parents. In October 2023, a judge sentenced St. John to a total of up to 25 years in state prison. In addition to the criminal case, the parents of Jakob Lee Haines filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit, which was settled for just under $1 million.
