Hearl Thomas Collins addressed the court Friday during a sentencing hearing before Wood County Circuit Judge Jason Wharton after pleading guilty to the first-degree murder of Morgan Lee Stutler-Lott in July 2024. Collins was sentenced to life in prison with mercy meaning he could eventually be granted parole. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — A Vienna man was sentenced to life in prison on Friday for the murder of his girlfriend in July 2024.

In a packed courtroom, Hearl Thomas Collins, 32, appeared before Wood County Circuit Judge Jason Wharton for sentencing after entering a plea agreement where he pleaded guilty to the July 20, 2024, first-degree murder of 22-year-old Morgan Lee Stutler-Lott. He also pleaded guilty to child neglect creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.

At around 4 p.m. July 20, 2024, Vienna Police were dispatched to 1000 19th St. Apartment 6, Vienna, for an unresponsive person. Officers located Stutler-Lott inside and she had suffered from two gunshots to the head. A 4-year-old child was present during the shooting of her mother and was left alone in the apartment for several hours after Collins fled.

Officers located Collins at a residence in Stonewood, W.Va., in Harrison County the next day where he was taken into custody.

Collins addressed the court and apologized to everyone present from both Stutler-Lott’s family and his own.

“I would like to apologize to you all for everything I have caused you,” he said. “I would like to take full responsibility for what I have done.

“Again, I am deeply sorry. This happened because of jealousy, anger, fear, addiction and I lost control. Morgan suffered, you all have suffered and my family has suffered. I am truly sorry.”

Collins talked about how he wanted to open a recovery center when he gets out of prison to prove rehabilitation is possible and achievable.

“Over this past year, I have truly found the Lord and with him by my side anything is possible.”

Attorney Keith White represented Collins Friday, but his former attorney John Scott made a statement to the court in having known the defendant for over 10 years and went to speak to him after his arrest.

“He was very adamant about accepting responsibility,” Scott said. “I do believe he will take this time of incarceration and punishment to make himself better and to, in whatever way he can, make amends.”

Assistant Wood County Prosecutor Kevin Day talked about the daughter who had her mother taken violently away and herself threatened.

“Part of her will always be in that room with her mother dead,” Day said.

He implored the court to hold Collins responsible and to sentence him to the maximum amount of time in jail on both charges.

A number of Stutler-Lott’s family members addressed Collins and what his actions did to them. Collins faced each person who spoke to him and listened intently to them.

Ashley Poling, Morgan’s mother, talked about her daughter and her granddaughter. She talked about how her daughter was going to school and wanted to become a nurse and eventually a nurse practitioner.

“There has never been a moment in my life when I came to find out my daughter was shot in the head and my granddaughter left completely alone and helpless.

“When I spoke to my grandchild she told me that her mommy told her after she was dead that she was an angel and (Collins) was a demon.”

Poling talked about how while her granddaughter was left alone with her mother she tried to clean her mother up of all the blood and the things she dealt with she will have to deal with for her entire life.

She does not believe Collins deserves any kind of mercy. She believes he would do something like this again.

Poling described her daughter as a “champion” and someone who was loved unconditionally by her family and who gave that love back.

“Now all we have are memories,” she said.

Poling said if it was possible, she would have hoped for lethal injection for Collins or a chemical lobotomy. However, she said she will attend every parole hearing and work to make sure he is never released and have the chance to do this again to another woman.

“He will never forget what he did to (Morgan and her daughter),” Poling said. “I will honor my daughter and my brave granddaughter.”

Addressing Collins directly she said, “you are a murderer and no mercy from me.”

Other family members, including a number of sisters, talked about Morgan and the time they have lost not ever being able to speak to her again. They talked about her love and support that she gave each of them, how she was there to listen to them and how her absence will leave a void in all their lives. None of them understood “why” this had happened. They all felt she had potential to do so much with her life.

Wharton sentenced Collins to life in prison for the murder charge and 1-5 years for the child neglect charge which are to be served consecutively. The details of the plea agreement allowed for mercy, meaning he could eventually be eligible for parole.

“There is nothing I can say today that hasn’t already been said,” Wharton said addressing Collins. “What you did to everyone associated with this case is inexcusable.

“If it weren’t for the fact that going to trial would have subjected (Morgan’s daughter) to testifying I quite likely would have rejected this plea so you could serve the rest of your life in prison with no possibility of parole.”

Collins was remanded to the custody of the state.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com.