Brandon Lashbrook was sentenced Thursday to 14 years in prison for causing a 2019 fire that led to the death of two of his grandparents.
According to court documents, the fire occurred on Dec. 27, 2019, at approximately 1 a.m. in the 3900 block of Kipling Drive. David Lashbrook, 77, and Shelby Lashbrook, 82, both died as a result of injuries related to the fire.
Court documents show that Lashbrook entered a “guilty but mentally ill” plea to two counts of second-degree manslaughter on August 4, 2022. According to court documents, Lashbrook “when under circumstances manifesting a wanton indifference to the value of human life when he failed to report a fire in a room adjacent to” his grandparents at their residence.
Defense lawyer Toni Pisaneschi said Thursday that Lashbrook did not intentionally set the fire, and that it instead resulted from his smoking methamphetamine and something catching fire.
Pisaneschi said Lashbrook has been full of remorse since the incident occurred.
“He is extremely remorseful for what happened. He lost his grandparents in this fire. He has nothing but remorse and sickness and sadness about that,” Pisaneschi said.
Judge Thomas Castlen accepted the sentence recommended by the Commonwealth, which was 7 years for each charge to be run consecutively for a total of 14 years.
Castlen recommended Lashbrook be granted acceptance to a mental health facility in Erlanger or Morehead, Kentucky.
Court documents show that Lashbrook has had “serious mental health issues” and “a lengthy history of psychiatric hospitalizations.”
