Man faces death for raping, murdering and dismembering girlfriend’s 14-year-old adopted daughter
Grace Packer's adoptive mother allegedly watched boyfriend Jacob Sullivan act out rape-murder fantasy
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Your support makes all the difference.A man faces death for the rape, murder and dismemberment of his girlfriend’s 14-year-old adoptive daughter.
Jacob Sullivan, 46, pleaded guilty to all charges in the 2016 death of Grace Packer in Pennsylvania.
A jury outside Philadelphia will now decide whether he will be face life in prison or the death penalty.
The victim’s adoptive mother Sara Packer, 44, is accused of watching Sullivan act out a rape-murder fantasy they shared.
She has agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence, according to her attorney Keith Williams.
The former foster parent and county adoptions supervisor is also expected to testify against Sullivan during the penalty phase of his trial.
Grace’s death raised questions about whether child welfare agencies could have done more to protect her.
Packer and her husband at the time, David Packer, cared for dozens of foster children before David was arrested in 2010 and sent to prison for sexually assaulting Grace and a 15-year-old foster daughter at their home in Allentown, about an hour north of Philadelphia.
Packer lost her job as a Northampton County adoptions supervisor in 2010 and was barred from taking in any more foster children.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services launched an investigation after Grace’s murder but its findings have not been made public.
Sullivan beat and raped Grace, and she was bound, gagged and left to die in a sweltering attic, authorities have said.
Returning the next day and finding Grace was still alive, Sullivan strangled her, court documents said.
The couple stored her body in cat litter for months, then chopped it up and dumped it in a remote area where hunters found it in October 2016, police have said.
Sullivan, whose attorney claimed Sara Packer masterminded the killing, entered his plea as jury selection was about to get underway.
However his plea hearing was interrupted Tuesday afternoon after he fell ill and was taken to hospital.
The hearing was scheduled to resume Wednesday.
Packer’s trial is expected to begin next month.