VIERA – A 22-year-old Palm Bay woman who was convicted of stabbing her mother to death over a relationship was sentenced last week to 30 years in prison, a month after a jury found her guilty of manslaughter.
Sentencing took place Thursday before Circuit Judge Charles Crawford at the Moore Justice Center in Viera. Jackalynn D’Auria was convicted of the October 24, 2020 stabbing of 36-year-old Amanda Ervin. D’Auria had claimed self-defense in the case.
A six-member jury acquitted D’Auria of a second-degree murder charge that could have resulted in her serving a life sentence instead.
“I am grateful that we were able to bring justice on behalf of Amanda and her family. I hope they can find some comfort in knowing that D’Auria could not escape justice and that every word spoken on Amanda’s behalf was heard.” said Assistant State Attorney Samantha Barrett, who prosecuted the case in July.
The case began when Palm Bay police were called to a house in the 900 block of Canal Lane to investigate a disturbance. Witnesses told police the mother had previously entered the garage and found her daughter in the converted bedroom. The two argued and fought before the daughter took a knife and stabbed it in her mother’s chest, court records show.
More: Daughter suspected of murdering Palm Bay mother after argument
Police said D’Auria – who was 19 years old – then ran out of the house. Ervin, who told witnesses before losing consciousness that her daughter had stabbed her, was rushed to Palm Bay Community Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
D’Auria was arrested and incarcerated at the Brevard County Jail. Detectives later determined that the mother-daughter confrontation was over D’Auria’s relationship with one of her mother’s friends.
JD Gallop is a Criminal Justice/Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Palm Bay woman sentenced to 30 years for stabbing mother to death
