Silver Lakes man takes plea deal for killing Barstow woman

BARSTOW • A 37-year-old Silver Lakes man who recently led authorities to the body of his apparent 30-year-old Barstow girlfriend accepted a plea agreement during a hearing on Friday.

Jeami Chiapulis pleaded guilty to second degree murder in connection with the killing of Leisa Hurst. The plea was part of a deal he reached with the district attorney’s office that allowed him to avoid the chance of a first degree murder conviction at trial in exchange for revealing the location of Hurst’s body, according to Deputy District Attorney Sean Daugherty.

Chiapulis will now be sentenced on Nov. 20. He agreed to serve 15 years to life as part of the deal, but could have received 25 years to life if convicted of first degree murder.

Several members of Hurst’s family were in attendance at the hearing on Friday. Hurst’s mother, Deborah Welch, was allowed to speak at the hearing because she lives out of state and would not be able to come to Chiapulis’ sentencing.

“It is beyond our comprehension how a person could do this to another human being,” Welch said. “A lifetime in prison can only close one page in our book of life. He is a psychopath who should never be allowed out as he has no regard for human life.”

Chiapulis had already entered into a conditional agreement with the district attorney’s office during a pretrial hearing in October. As part of the agreement Chiapulis, accompanied by his attorney, Paul Henderson, directed the district attorney and detectives to an area near Newberry Springs, where Hurst’s body was found on Oct. 8.

Daugherty said a complete explanation of how or why Chiapulis killed Hurst may never be known unless Chiapulis decides to say something during his sentencing hearing or at a later time.

Hurst was reported missing January 22. Chiapulis checked himself into the psychiatric ward of an unidentified hospital on Jan. 26. Police said Chiapulis had a romantic relationship  with Hurst, and searched his home twice shortly after Hurst’s disappearance. He was arrested at a Redland’s motel on February 13 just after being released from the hospital. Chiapulis was scheduled to start trial for Hurst’s killing at the end of November.

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(760) 256-4126 or dheldreth@desertdispatch.com