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Former Northview Student Convicted Of Killing Younger Adoptive Sister; Will Serve One Year In Jail
August 2, 2012
A former Northview High School student has been convicted of the shooting death of her adoptive sister last August.
Elena Janelle Rendell — who was 17 at the time of the August 3, 2011, shooting — was convicted as a youthful offender for shooting 14-year old Christina Marie Sneary, a former Molino resident.
Rendell was sentenced to one year in the county jail, with no credit for nearly one year she spent behind bars awaiting trial, according to Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille. After release from jail, she will be on probation for five years.
She was also ordered to continue with mental health counseling and treatment. After her time in jail, Rendell will be required to seek and maintain employment or continue her education.
The two girls had recently moved with their mother from Sunset View Lane in Molino to the 7600 block of Kipling Street in the Ferry Pass community.
Rendell told deputies that she began to argue with Sneary over a cell phone. During the argument, Rendell ran into her parent’s bedroom and retrieved her father’s 9 mm handgun from the top of a television shelf that stood about 12-feet high. Rendell then pointed the handgun at her 14-year old sister and fired a single gunshot into the right side of Sneary’s neck. Sneary died a short time later at Sacred Heart Hospital.
Comments
29 Responses to “Former Northview Student Convicted Of Killing Younger Adoptive Sister; Will Serve One Year In Jail”
Saw this on the show My Evil Sister. Tragic the whole mess was. Well this what happens a lot of times when bulling is involved.
Fed up with the system: all crimes hurt, there is no one crime that doesn’t, whetjer it’s themselves or you or maybe for ex: they stole, ok whoever they stole from has to replace that item/items that they pay for with they’re hard earned money. Some things can’t be replaced,after this if you still can say the same thing,then maybe you should have spent time with them. To art: the article says the gun was 12ft. on a stand or TV center maybe, now there could hav been a lock put on a gun but if the girls that old you shouldn’t have to, butif one had a handicap child you shouldn’t be leaving that child home alone period & one last thing if you teach your kids that they’re not toys & show by example that you being a gunowner don’t play with them a child will learn. We have guns in our home & our girls hunt with their dad. When they get to their spot then they load it in front of him, my point is we’ve never had a problem, could we yes hope not but we hav taught them not to play with them not even play like they’re shooting peopl. Once you fire that shot you can’t bring back life & never forget that.
Get the facts before you pass judgment. This girl has severe developmental disabilities. SEVERE. She had no intent to kill anyone. There should never have been a gun around thischild. There was no trial. The state offered and the judge accepted this plea for 2 years in jail and probation.Family members agreed to the sentence. While there is never reason to kill someone,it will do no good to lock this girl up forever Through no fault of her own she was born with problems. She has had a life I’m sure many of us would not wish on our worst enemy.Compassion is lost in this community. There but for the grace of God go I.
what did the owner of the gun get? who leaves a gun where kids can get it?
To “get all the facts first”:
you said: “If each of you only knew the so-called “family” history, your outrage would be re-directed at the severity of the sentence, with no credit for the year already served.”
The family history does not mean SQUAT. You’re saying that because of the circumstances, the two years she received is severe??? She took a life. I don’t care what the circumstances are, you do NOT take a life!
What is this world coming to. She gets 1 year in jail. Come on!! She dont even deserve time in jail. They should do to her like she done that poor girl. This whole world is going pure crazy!!! Pat her on the back for killing someone thats all she deserves!!! CRAZY!!!!!!!
UNBELIEVABLE!! Wait…I CAN believe it!!! I just don’t know how much longer this world can continue without the Rapture taking place!! One year for taking a life over a cell phone!! The reason for things such as this is that God has been removed from out schools and our homes. Just read the Tri-City Ledger for this week…Prayer at Flomaton schools have got to cease. I don’t do anything without prayer. Prayer is like insurance….and WE ALL NEED IT!! Especially our youth!
She needs life without parole…and the chair oh wait they don’t do that anymore well i would at least show her what punishment is for murdering someone if it was someone else they would have got 25-life and clearly she admitted to fussing with the sister on the phone then went and got her dad’s 9 mm wow looks very guilty to me…just think about what kind of justice your giving that family to know one of their daughters killed the other one and is getting slack on her punishment…what because she’s 17 well hate to tell you but she can be tried as an adult…don’t worry you will see this girl again on cops because she only got one year for murder so she is going to keep doing whatever she wants.
On the surface it would appear that this sentence was light. However, how many of you were in the courtroom and heard all of the evidence? I agree that all to often it seems as though justice isn’t served. That’s just not true in this case. There is so much more to this tragic situation than any of you know. It isn’t my place to explain all of it. I just want you all to stop and think for a moment before convicting Ms. Rendell in the court of public opinion. This wasn’t only an argument over a cellphone. If each of you only knew the so-called “family” history, your outrage would be re-directed at the severity of the sentence, with no credit for the year already served. Hug your children today. Tell them, and more importantly, show them love, respect, and that they are valued and appreciated. Next time, get all of the facts before passing judgement.
I agree, our sentencing around here needs to severely be re-aligned.
Theres a lot of talk going around about the unfair sentencing lately. I think people should be more informed about how “important’ that 9 letter word is we keep seeing after the jail time……Probation. I am highly against our city’s probation system. But theres alot of people who don’t know how the system works!
Probation is a HUGE money maker for the city. Majoirty of people CAN NOT stay out of trouble and/or pay the mass amounts of money for probation cost (sometimes easily a couple g’s) , which only ends up in more jailtime, and more probation. It is a very vicious cycle, but that’s pretty much how the doors at our local jails are revolving doors, even when their are a few peope who are trying to change.
In the publics eye, Did she get justice? Heck no!
Courts Eye- Theyre simply thinking, “She’ll be back!”
Do meth go to jail for years, sell meth go to jail for life,
Kill your little sister in cold blood, get 1 year jail time!
Is life really worth so little? Time to get new judges!
My opinion is that the reason this girl is only spending one year in jail is because I seem to recall reports from when she was arrested that she is mentally disabled. She’d probably be better off in a state mental hospital than jail.
Well, this proves one thing. For all of the people complaining that law enforcement does NOT do enough – that it is the courts that allow little to no punishment for crimes (don’t forget lawyers that plea crimes down to a lesser charge).
But, what really worries me is the mental treatment that she needs. Can you imagine if she is cut off driving down the road and cannot control her temper, and runs the other car off the road??? Or, if someone wants an extra ketchup package and she goes off on him/her. Scary, extremely scary!!!
Wow and we wonder why things are so bad…..How many people will appeal their guilty sentence using this case. This is messed up not good. We will see her again within those 5 years not many people make it off that much probation time. before we take it out on this girl remember she did not give her self a year the system did. We need to change what wwe can of it.
My son and his friend was sentenced to 3.5 yrs and did not hurt anyone or even come in contact with anyone during the crime…They were only 1 yr older than she was..How do you kill someone and get less time..I also payed alot of money to have a court approved doctor to evaluate my son and he found he needed special tratment..( the same doctor the judge would have ordered) . His evaluation was never looked at! It should not matter what judge sentences you..Everyone should get the same rights! I’m not sure if this child had a prior record but my son did not! Also both of these boys were denied youthfull offender status! It’s sad when the judges horemone level on the day of sentencing decides our childrens and future!
Christina’s life was valued at 1 year in jail. What a sad existence for a child in this world. My heart aches for her. No justice, no peace, and such a lack of concern for our childrens safety. I believe we can all see what is wrong with our court system. It is failing our innocent and protecting those that need punishment. Elena is in great need of mental health counseling, but she also needs punishment for this horrible act. Taking a persons life is a serious offense. We all need to be reminded of this or our society is no better than the 3rd world countries that give no value to life and hope. In the US we often hear the words LIFE, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE. Where in this case were they?
Absolutely ridiculous a friend of mine hot 5 years prison time for stealing some guns and selling them he did this when he was about 14 mo youthful offender and no county jail bs PRISON you can get more jail time than this for pushing your spouse or family member simply ridiculous!!
What a joke! ONE year – ridiculous.
@ Wow! You are exactly correct. No accountability. Many will see this and do the same thing.
I don’t think premeditation means that you have to go through some trouble to get the weapon before shooting somebody. She was (improperly) enraged, and stayed in that state as she went after the gun and fired the shot.
I think (could be wrong) that she would have to cool down from the initial aggravation and still gone through with it for it to be premeditated.
That being said, 1 year seems pretty light, youthful offender or not.
1 year, really?
Kids are gonna think they can kill someone and they won’t have to serve that much time. Bless these people
She had a trial and was issued a punishment. I don’t know all of the details of what led to the shooting but the jury does. Everyone is entitled to a fair trial.
I may not agree with the outcome but again, I don’t know ALL of the details. If I ever have to face a jury, I hope the outcome is based on facts not opinions.
To someguy: to me & I’m pretty sure to some people, raping a couple kids would be the same as murder because you would screw up they’re life & people that actually take care of them. Those monsters dont get get the right punishment either and most of the time they walk away also. This girl was totally out in left field,& I’m not judging you, I don’t know you but think about how you comment or how some people might misunderstand them.
Yes @bogus!!! This is so crazy!!! It’s ”punishment” like this that sends a message to ”youths” that it’s okay to fight over something so simple, get a gun, take someone’s life,, and only get a year in jail. This is why you hear of so many crimes committed by young people. This wasn’t even an accident. She deliberately shot her. Whoever makes these laws needs to do some serious changes. This is such a sad story.
One frikin year. She argued, ran into the house, got a gun, ran out, and shot and killed this child. THATS PRE MEDITATED if I ever saw it. How the hell did she get ONE YEAR? Because of mental issues? Well hell, I sure am looking forward to having this nutburger running the streets of Pensacola in a year. Really nice Escambia county. I bet this aint the last we hear about this ??person??. Future acts on her part rest INTIRELY on the hands of the judge who sentenced her. Hope he or she can sleept night after this girl kills someone else.
I see several problems with this sentencing. One year for murder and five years probation. This is a joke. I seen more people get more time for suspended drivers license charges. I will bet after a potential employer learns that this woman killed someone ( her own sister ). She won’t be getting a job. And who’s going to pay for her stay at a mental health facilities. Let me guess! Us the taxpayer. This girl should at least got 20 years for murder. I see other cases involving juveniles committing similar crimes and getting more time.
Get caught with a gram of cocaine and see what happens.
Elena could have been 30 and raped a couple kids and spent less time in jail than for murdering someone.
You have got to be kidding me. The judicial system is a joke!!!! A year in jail? The judge should be held accountable if she kills again. Thanks escambia Co judicial system to keeping the community safe. NOT!!!!!!!!
What!! if this was a guy he would spend the rest of his life in prison. 1 year for murder and 5 years prob. Does this send a signal to other kids to kill and walk.