Middle River Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering Dundalk Man

A Middle River man on Wednesday pleaded guilty to murder in Baltimore County Circuit Court in connection with the death of a Dundalk man whose badly decomposed body was found in April.

John Joseph Leschefsky Jr., 27, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and a separate drug distribution charge, according to Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

Leschefsky was accused of killing Jeffrey Jennings, 57, of the 8100 block of Gray Haven Road. Jennings was reported missing by his son on Sept. 15, 2011, after he had not heard from his father in six days.

"We believe the body had been undiscovered for about nine months," Shellenberger said in a phone interview Thursday. "The decomposition limited us in our ability to determine the manner of death."

Jennings appeared to have died of a single blow to the head, Shellenberger said, which led to the charge of second-degree murder.

Shellenberger said he is not yet aware of a sentencing date, but Baltimore County prosecutors are recommending a 35-year sentence.

Carollyn Robin Duschl, 29, also of Middle River, was also indicted in connection with Jennings' death.

Shellenberger did not immediately have information regarding her status in the case.

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