Mooresville Teenager Admits to School Shooting Plot
Mooresville, Ind — A former Mooresville High School student accused of planning a Valentine’s Day school shooting has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, ending months of court proceedings in the case.
Trinity J. Shockley, 18, agreed to plead guilty in Morgan Superior Court as part of a deal that drops two intimidation charges linked to alleged terrorist threats.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Cassie Mellady confirmed the plea deal but declined to comment on the underlying facts of the case.
“I cannot comment on the facts of the case until it’s resolved,” Mellady said. “You’re welcome to look up the probable cause affidavit, which lays out the details.”
Shockley’s gender identity has received attention in media reports, but Prosecutor Steve Mellady said it does not affect how the case is being handled or how sentencing will be determined.
“That determination has nothing to do with sex,” she said. “It doesn’t affect sentencing or placement. That’s handled by the Indiana Department of Correction, not our office.”
Beyond the specifics of this case, Mellady said her office routinely confronts the intersection of mental health and criminal behavior. She said that while mental health issues are common among defendants, they rarely alter how prosecutors pursue charges unless competency becomes an issue.
“We deal with mental health in our office probably more often than not,” she said. “There’s a difference between having a mental health issue and being competent for trial. If someone’s not competent, that can make a case challenging. But otherwise, mental health concerns are typically addressed at sentencing.”
Mellady said Shockley’s sentencing hearing remains set for November, with no requests for a delay at this point.
“She has a statutory right to have her sentencing within a certain time limit,” Mellady said. “The defense hasn’t asked for any change, so I would expect it to go forward in November. Of course, that could always change.”
The court is scheduled to formally accept her plea on Nov. 24.
