Woman sentenced for role in partner's state park death

Lina PortmanAugust 27, 2024

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Woman sentenced for role in partner's state park death

A woman looks to spend at least a decade in state prison as the person responsible somehow for her partner's suicide at Gifford Pinchot State Park four years ago.

Jolie Harris, 44, was sentenced Thursday to 15-30 years in prison followed by one year of probation as part of her guilty plea in the case, court documents show.

Harris admitted in April to a felony charge of causing suicide as an act of homicide from the death of Lauren Gallagher in June 2020. First- and third-degree murder charges were dismissed as part of the plea.

Harris' sentence, as ordered by York County Court of Common Pleas Judge Harry Ness, also called for her to pay $13,000 in restitution to Gallagher's family and $6,500 to the state Victim Compensation Assistance Program, court documents show.

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In June 2020: Harris and the 37-year-old Gallagher had lived at a home owned by Gallagher's parents in Broomall Township, Delaware County. They drove to York County and went on a weekend camping trip at Pinchot in Warrington Township, according to charging documents.

Pennsylvania State Police troopers responded to a call to the park and found Gallagher's car at the women's campsite the morning of June 8, one day after the two were supposed to check out, police said.

But Gallagher and Harris weren't at the site, and they were eventually considered missing.

As police searched, another call came about nine hours after the first. A camper at the park reported seeing a person under a blanket near his site, according to charging documents.

As the caller checked the blanket while on the phone with 911, charging documents show, Harris popped her head up and asked for help, saying she'd been assaulted.

Gallagher's body was also under the blanket.

Harris spoke to troopers at the scene and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Investigators said an evaluation found she had several scratches on her wrists and neck.

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An autopsy a couple of days later, on June 10, concluded that Gallagher died from cutting trauma to her neck. Her death was ruled a homicide then, charging documents show.

Harris was charged that day, initially with homicide, and then jailed without bail. The causing suicide charge was added to the guilty plea, court records show.

With her sentence, Harris was given 1,533 days, or a little more than four years, of credit for time she's already served at York County Prison, court documents show.

If you've experienced thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free through the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988 in the United States. You can find more information at 988lifeline.org.

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— Reach Aimee Ambrose at [email protected] or on Twitter at @aimee_TYD.

Lina Portman

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