Woman Charged in Pitcairn Murder Sentenced

Lavelva Merritt, who was initially charged in the killing of Johns Hopkins Reseracher , was sentenced to 15 years in jail on Monday as part of a plea bargain, according to WBFF-TV.

Merritt agreed to plead guilty to lesser charges inagainst her boyfriend John Wagner. Wagner was for the murder last month.

In her testimony during Wagner's trial, Merritt said that she accepted the need to be punished for her role in the crime, but felt her sentence should be lighter because it was Wagner who actually stabbed Pitcairn. 

In July 2010, Pitcairn was walking back to his home in Charles Village from Penn Station when he was robbed and stabbed to death in the 2600 block of St. Paul Street.

Merritt testified that she and Wagner had been doing drugs throughout the day and were looking for someone to rob when they happened upon Pitcairn. She said that they waited until he reached a dark part of the street to confront Pitcairn, who was on his iPhone when attacked.

Police later recovered Pitcairn's wallet and iPhone in the apartment on Maryland Avenue that Merritt and Wagner shared with several other people.