A 25-year-old woman shot and killed a 16-year-old girl who was pregnant with her boyfriend’s child, aiming to protect him from legal repercussions and reputational damage. Both perpetrators now face decades behind bars for the March 2022 crime in Beaumont, Texas.

The Victim and Discovery

Katelynn Stone, 16, was found dead in a bedroom at a home on Kolbs Corner Road. Deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office discovered her body around 10 p.m. on Sunday, more than a day after the shooting occurred near 2 p.m. Saturday. Stone had been living with 21-year-old Cody Lee Arnold, her boyfriend, at the time.

The Deadly Love Triangle

Prosecutors revealed that Stone had recently learned of her pregnancy, a situation Arnold viewed as a threat due to her age. Arnold was simultaneously romantically involved with 25-year-old Chelsea Shipp. Authorities determined this volatile dynamic fueled the murder plot.

During the trial, Prosecutor Jimmy Hamm described the events in opening statements: “They were seen together. They were talking about what they were going to do. They were smoking meth that entire weekend to build up the courage to kill that girl.”

The Shooting and Cover-Up

Investigators stated that Arnold and Shipp used methamphetamine before the violence. Arnold told detectives he briefly left the room where Stone slept, returning to find Shipp standing over her with a gun. He watched Shipp fire the fatal shot, then covered Stone’s head with a bag because he “did not want to look at it.” Arnold failed to report the crime, leaving the body in the home.

Convictions and Sentences

Shipp accepted a plea deal and received a 40-year prison sentence for the murder. A Jefferson County jury convicted Arnold of murder and related charges, sentencing him to 34 years in prison. Officials emphasized the killing aimed to prevent Arnold from being labeled a sex offender over his relationship with the minor.