A Bucks County man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the brutal murder of his ex-girlfriend in a case that shocked the region last year.
Trevor Weigel, 25, was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole following his conviction earlier this year on first-degree murder and related charges in the killing of 19-year-old Jaden Battista.
According to prosecutors, the deadly attack happened in February 2024 outside Battista’s Lower Makefield Township home.
Investigators said Weigel forced his way into the residence before attempting to abduct Battista. When she broke free and ran toward a responding police officer for help, prosecutors said Weigel tackled her in the street and stabbed her repeatedly.
An autopsy determined Battista suffered multiple stab wounds, with investigators stating she was stabbed more than a dozen times during the attack.
Police had been responding to a burglary-in-progress call when the violence unfolded in front of officers.
Authorities said Weigel fled after the stabbing and stabbed himself in the neck before being apprehended near Interstate 295.
During trial, prosecutors argued the killing was a premeditated, rage-fueled attack after Battista ended the couple’s relationship. A Bucks County jury convicted Weigel in January of first-degree murder, burglary, attempted kidnapping, and other related offenses after deliberating for just over an hour.
Family members delivered emotional victim impact statements during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, remembering Battista as a kind and compassionate young woman whose life was taken far too soon.
The life sentence formally closes the criminal case, though the emotional impact of Battista’s murder continues to be felt by her family and the Bucks County community
