Brookville woman pleads guilty to shooting brother

(BROOKVILLE, Ind.) – A Brookville woman has pleaded guilty in connection to the shooting death of her brother. 

31-year-old Crystal Pence was arrested after allegedly admitting that she shot her brother at the Riverfront Apartments on December 12, 2024. 

Pence told investigators that her brother, 32-year-old Ronald Pence, asked her to shoot him.

The pair had previously been out at local bars that evening and Ronald loaded the gun before handing it to her, she told investigators in 2024.

She shot him in the chest and then dropped the gun and called 9-1-1, according to court documents. 

Crystal Pence was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter on Wednesday. 

She could face anywhere between 10 to 30 years in prison when she is sentenced in September.