Arraignment Held for Columbia Man Accused of Strangling Girlfriend's Daughter
(Lancaster County, PA) -- A formal arraignment has been held for a Columbia man who is accused of raping and murdering a 12-year-old girl in February. Jason Shackelford, who is 39, received an indictment of the exact charges lodged against him that include felony rape of a child, strangulation and homicide. The charges were filed following the autopsy of 12-year-old Elaina Smith by the Lancaster County Coroner's Office, which confirmed she died of strangulation and had signs of sexual abuse. Elaina was the daughter of Shackelford's ex-girlfriend. He allegedly also tried to hide her body in a freezer.