Marion Yoder apologized in court Tuesday and his father read a statement, Knowling said.

Rachel Yoder dropped off a friend before she was shot around 10 p.m. Dec. 15, about 3 miles from her home. Police said the horse carted her home and she fell out of the buggy. Her brother noticed the horse and buggy going in a circle and found the unresponsive teen on the ground. She died a day later.

Authorities first thought she might have fallen from the buggy and hit her head, but an autopsy report concluded she died of a gunshot wound to the head and ruled her death a homicide.