18-year-old found guilty of 2022 double homicide at Laurel Woods Apartments

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - An 18-year-old has been found guilty in connection to a double homicide last year at a South Bend apartment complex.

On Thursday, a jury found Rease Pence, 18, guilty of two counts of murder for the June 18, 2022, homicides of Jamie Binns, 28 and Samantha Lawson, 29, both of Niles. Pence was also found guilty of a firearm enhancement.

South Bend Police were called early that morning to the 600 block of W. Laurel Woods Court. In reference to two females found unresponsive in a vehicle. When they arrived, they found Binns and Samantha Lawson suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Autopsies were conducted and it was determined that they both died because of gunshot wounds to their heads.

The South Bend Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit took over the investigation and identified Pence, who was 17 at the time, as a suspect. He was arrested and charged in October 2022.

Pence is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17. The sentencing range for murder is 45 to 65 years, while the sentence range for the firearm enhancement is five to 20 years.

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