Fort Lewis soldier found guilty of manslaughter in teen girl's death

FORT LEWIS, Wash. - A soldier was found guilty Friday of involuntary manslaughter in the overdose death of his 16-year-old girlfriend in his Fort Lewis barracks.

The guilty verdict was handed down by military judge Lt. Col. Kwasi Hawks at a court-martial hearing.

The soldier, Pvt. Timothy Bennitt, 20, was found guilty of "aiding and abetting" Leah King’s wrongful use of a painkiller and the anxiety pill Xanax.

King died in Bennitt's Fort Lewis barracks room Feb. 15, 2009, after she and a friend overdosed on a combination of drugs. The friend recovered. Bennitt was 19 at the time.

Investigators said Bennitt provided King with the prescription pain killer Opana and anti-depressant Xanax. The pills were then crushed, mixed together, and snorted with a dollar bill, investigators said. The pills are designed to release their effects over time but, when snorted, it had a toxic effect, according to detectives.

Leah King is seen in a photo from her MySpace page.

On Tuesday, Bennitt's lawyers entered a guilty plea on his behalf for distribution of oxymorphone, oxycodone, marijuana and Xanax. He also pleaded guilty to use of oxycodone, oxymorphone, marijuana and cocaine.

But the young man pleaded not guilty to the involuntary manslaughter charge.

He will be sentenced later Friday afternoon.

Bennitt is originally from Rolling Prairie, Ind.