A Harlan man has pled guilty for the murder of an Earling woman back in July. According to online court records, 33-year-old Winston Joseph Leal of Harlan entered a guilty plea yesterday (Monday) to first-degree murder, a class A felony, for the shooting of 32-year-old Theresa Kenkel of Earling. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 29 at the Shelby County Courthouse. A class A felony carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. An accomplice, 35-year-old Ashley Elizabeth McWilliams of Harlan pled guilty earlier this month for accessory after the fact, a class D felony, for assisting Leal. Her sentencing hearing is schedule for Nov. 17, where she faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and over $10,000 in fines.
