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A Pennsylvania woman will serve two life sentences after pleading guilty to charges related to the willful starvation and death of her girlfriend’s daughters who were found buried in the yard in 2021.
Echo Butler, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit the first-degree murder of his girlfriend’s two young daughters, Nicole, 6, and Jasmine, 4, in Lycoming County Court on Friday night.
Butler will serve the sentences without the possibility of parole along with Marie Snyder, 33, the girls’ birth mother, who also pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, robbery by deception and food stamp fraud on 31 October.
Both women are said to have subjected the girls to intense physical and verbal abuse, restraints and starvation during their short lives, according to a preliminary hearing in the case on March 16.
Marie Snyder, 32, (left), and her partner, Echo Butler, 26, (right), pleaded guilty to charges related to the deliberate starvation and death of Nicole, 6, and Jasmine, 4.
Echo Butler, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder of his girlfriend Snyder’s two young daughters Friday night.
Butler appeared in prison orange attire with his attorney Robert Hoffa before County Judge Nancy L. Butts, acknowledging his role in the murder plot.
“What you took from us cannot be put into words,” Giselle Blank, the girls’ great-great-aunt, told the Sun Bulletin.
Comparing a life sentence as light to what “you made my nieces suffer,” Blank broke down in tears during a court appearance on Friday.
District Attorney Ryan Gardner had sought the death penalty for Butler if she had chosen to take her case to trial and be convicted.
In the packed courtroom, Judge Butts stated the facts of the case based on the evidence collected, asking Butler whether, between January 1, 2015, and November 6, 2021, he had intentionally conspired with Snyder to kill to the girls.
Intentional murder is described as intentional, deliberate, and premeditated.
Both women are said to have subjected the girls to intense physical and verbal abuse, restraints and starvation during their short lives, according to a preliminary hearing in the case on March 16.
Butler will serve the sentences without the possibility of parole joining Snyder, who also pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, robbery by deception and food stamp fraud on Oct. 31.
Did you feed them? Butts asked Butler. “I suppose not,” Butler replied quietly.
Judge Butts asked if the girls were disciplined and read previous information alleging that they had been thrown into the wall, Hoffa disputed that fact.
The judge then clarified her statement by asking if the girls had been disciplined by being forced to stand in a corner with their hands tied behind their backs to watch while the others ate; Butler acknowledged that this had occurred.
The court heard that the girls became noticeably emaciated and pale and lost their hair as part of a type of intentional torture and an intentional act of starvation that investigators determined led to their deaths.
Gardner said that once police became aware of this, he was quick to react by praising the combined efforts of the former Old Lycoming Township Police Department, state police, FBI and county detectives. The former department has since become the Lycoming Regional Police.
“Two precious souls never had a chance to live,” Gardner said, holding up a framed picture of the girls, which he said was “frozen in time.”
Police found the girls’ bodies buried in 2-foot-deep graves in the backyard of Snyder and Butler’s home.
Snyder and Butler lived in this trailer home on Livermore Road with Butler’s parents.
“Their ages will remain indefinitely 6 and 4,” Gardner said, noting that these were the ages they died. “Justice is done in his name,” she said.
“The kindest act you’ve offered them is to accept responsibility,” Judge Butts said, looking directly at Butler.
It has been over a year since authorities discovered the remains of Nicole and her sister Jasmine, and their family continues to grieve the immeasurable loss.
In November 2021, the bodies of a six-year-old and a four-year-old were found buried in the backyard of the Hepburn Township home Butler had been sharing with Snyder.
Butler’s mother, Michele Butler, is also charged with third-degree murder in connection with this case.
Gardner, the Lycoming County District Attorney said Pennsylvania that the case was the most horrible he had ever experienced.
“In all the years that I have been a practicing attorney, this is the most horrible case I have ever experienced,” Gardner said.
“Two children subjected to repeated willful starvation and torture resulting in their death is a tragedy of epic proportions.
“It’s tragic for the surviving family members and it’s tragic for the community at large.”
Butler’s mother, Michele Butler, is also charged with third-degree murder in connection with this case. His father, Ronald Butler, faces child endangerment and obstruction charges.
In October, Snyder also pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Snyder told the judge that he accompanied Butler in a plot to starve his two young daughters to death, but while he was collecting food stamps and cash assistance as if they were alive.
Snyder’s sentencing has not taken place. The food stamps and cash assistance were not related to Butler, according to the county’s public defense team.
Investigators believe, based on their work, that Nicole Snyder died and was buried in 2016, while her sister died and was buried in 2017.
Investigators believe based on their work that Nicole Snyder died and was buried in 2016, while her sister died and was buried in 2017.
Joshua Snyder, Jasmine and Nicole’s father, said he hadn’t seen them since 2015
Judge Butts previously denied a motion to dismiss charges of endangering the welfare of children and obstruction of justice against Echo’s father, Ronald Butler of Hepburn Township, who told a friend he knew the girls They were in danger and he tried to steal food from them, according to previous testimony.
Michele L. Butler, Echo’s mother, was in prison for more than a year on charges including third-degree murder.
She was approved for specialized bail and planned to cooperate and plead guilty.
Meanwhile, the fraudulent acceptance of cash assistance will run concurrently with the first life sentence, Judge Butts said.
The girls were last seen by their father, Joshua Snyder, in 2015, and the last time they had contact with medical, judicial or other personnel was that year.
The remaining charges against Butler were dismissed as were the aggravating circumstances, according to Gardner.
“One step is over,” a family member told the media afterwards. ‘One down, three to go.’