A Florida teen who admitted killing his mother and her boyfriend pleaded guilty to two amended counts of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 50 years in prison, with parole eligibility after 25 years. The slayings occurred July 7, 2024, after Egler said he took his mother's gun while the couple attended a party. He initially reported an intruder but later confessed, blaming anger over his mother's response to his gender transition and her relationship age gap. The judge denied a move to juvenile court; prosecutors agreed not to seek life imprisonment.
Teen Who Said 'Welcome Home' Before Killing Mother And Her Partner Pleads Guilty, Receives 50-Year Term
Jasper Egler appears in court after pleading guilty on Sept. 25, 2026. (Court TV)
A Florida teenager who admitted to killing his mother and her partner has been sentenced to prison after accepting a plea deal that allows for parole after 25 years.
Jasper Egler, 18, was 16 when he was arrested on July 7, 2024, on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder in the deaths of his mother, 38-year-old Kelley McCollom, and her 22-year-old boyfriend, Matthew Szejnrok. On Sept. 25, 2026, Egler appeared in court and pleaded guilty to two amended counts of second-degree murder as part of an agreement with prosecutors.
Events of July 7, 2024
That evening, Egler placed a 911 call reporting that an unknown man had forced a sliding-glass door and entered the home carrying a hammer. He sounded distressed on the call but did not tell dispatchers that anyone in the house was dead.
First responders arrived at the Viera, Florida, residence and found McCollom in the living room and Szejnrok in a bathroom, both with visible gunshot wounds. In subsequent interviews with police, Egler initially repeated the intruder story but later confessed to the shootings.
Confession and Motive
Court records state that Egler told investigators he was upset that his mother was not accepting his gender transition and that he disapproved of the age gap in her relationship with Szejnrok. According to Egler's statements, the couple had gone to a party that night; while they were out, he took his mother's gun and ammunition from her bedroom.
Egler said he greeted the couple when they returned, telling them "Welcome home," before shooting McCollom multiple times and then turning the gun on Szejnrok. He told investigators he ran out of ammunition while Szejnrok attempted to flee to a bathroom and that he followed and stabbed him repeatedly.
Some court documents refer to Egler under a different name and gender.
Legal Proceedings And Sentence
Egler's defense team sought to transfer the case to juvenile court, but Judge Michelle Naberhaus denied that request. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed not to recommend a life sentence.
Judge Naberhaus sentenced Egler to 50 years in prison with eligibility for parole after 25 years. If released, Egler will be subject to 20 years of supervised probation and required to undergo ongoing mental health evaluations.
Trigger warning: This article contains descriptions of violent crime.
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