Woman pleads guilty in fatal shooting during home invasion

One of two defendants charged with killing a 66-year-old Wichita woman in a home invasion last September has pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless murder, aggravated burglary and attempted criminal use of a financial card in the case. Brittany McDay, 23, is set for sentencing June 14 before Sedgwick County District Court Judge Jeffrey Goering, according to court records.

McDay and 22-year-old Jacob Strouse are accused of slaying Jacquelyn Harvey, who was found dead in her house from a shotgun blast to her right thigh on Sept. 16. Authorities say the pair went to the 300 block of South Chautauqua to collect a debt but kicked in the door to the wrong house and shot Harvey before realizing the mistake.

Harvey tried to fight off the intruders, grabbing the gun before it went off, according to a police affidavit released last fall. The pair allegedly stole Harvey’s purse and Jeep, and McDay used her debit cards. They were arrested later that month.

In exchange for McDay’s guilty plea Wednesday to the amended murder charge, prosecutors agreed to dismiss counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and felony theft charged against her. The state, according to a plea agreement filed in the case, plans to ask Goering to send McDay to prison for 21 years and 5 months and order her to play $3,513.17 in restitution to the Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board, which helps victims of violent crime pay for unforeseen expenses.

McDay is free to argue for a slightly shorter sentence, the document says. Her jury trial had been scheduled to begin next week.

Strouse will be tried Aug. 22 on charges of first-degree felony murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, felony theft and weapons violations. He remains in Sedgwick County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bond.

This story was originally published April 29, 2016 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Woman pleads guilty in fatal shooting during home invasion."