Brycen Scofield, 22, middle, receives his sentence for the murder of Aaron Stitt as his attorneys Garren Pedemonte, left, and Matthew Rowan listen in Jackson County Circuit Court Tuesday. 

Heading off two jury trials next month, Brycen Scofield pleaded guilty and was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years to life in prison for the 2021 murder of Medford resident Aaron Stitt.

Scofield, 22, lured Stitt, 24, to his Royal Avenue apartment to rob him of drugs and money in the early morning of Sept. 25, 2021, then beat Stitt to death with a hammer. Police found Stitt’s body inside a refrigerator in Scofield’s living room.

Two other men, brothers Dylan McLeod, 24, and Austin McLeod, 27, were also accused in the case.

Austin McLeod was convicted by a jury in May and sentenced in to 25 years to life in prison for second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, second-degree abuse of a corpse, first-degree robbery and tampering with physical evidence. He is incarcerated at the Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario.

Dylan McLeod is scheduled to go on trial for second-degree murder June 3, 2024.

Scofield was scheduled to go on trial Oct. 23 for murder, and Sept. 7 over allegations he had tampered with a witness. In the latter case, Scofield made a phone call Feb. 5 from the Jackson County Jail asking someone to order his grandmother, Julie Kennedy, not to testify in court.

But Scofield — appearing in civilian clothing Tuesday — instead pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The other charges, witness tampering, unlawful use of a weapon, second-degree abuse of a corpse, first-degree robbery and tampering with physical evidence, were dismissed, and he was ordered to pay $12,275 in restitution. 

While the 22-year-old convicted murderer is headed to prison, his case is not closed.

Scofield’s attorneys indicated Tuesday they will file a conditional plea — a rare legal move that, with permission of the court and the district attorney, allows Scofield to appeal. According to case law, such a plea gives defendants such as Scofield “the right … to a review of an adverse determination of any specified pre-trial motion.” Success on appeal allows defendants to withdraw their plea.

For his part, Scofield said little during Tuesday’s hearing, including saying, “Yes, your honor” when asked if he understood that he was pleading guilty to murder, and, “No, thank you, your honor,” when asked by Judge Kelly Ravassipour if he had anything to say about the crimes committed. 

As members of the Stitt family sat in court, dabbing their noses with a tissue and sniffling, Jackson County District Attorney Beth Heckert said family members chose not speak. Heckert described to the court the facts of the case, calling what happened “a brutal attack on the victim.” 

Scofield’s attorney Matthew Rowan told the court his client is “here to take accountability.”

“He feels the whole situation is a complete tragedy,” Rowan said. “For everything, he apologizes.”

Ravassipour called Stitt’s killing “a tragic incident” and acknowledged Scofield’s guilty plea will spare his family and Stitt’s family the hardship of going through a trial. 

“So, the court appreciates you taking accountability,” Ravassipour said. 

She also said she hopes Scofield follows the rules of imprisonment so that he can possibly achieve parole after 25 years.

Scofield responded, “Thank you, your honor.”

Rowan had no comment on his client’s guilty plea or his decision to pursue a conditional plea.

Heckert said in an interview after the sentencing that she believes her office “had a very strong case” that included lots of evidence, including a video recording in which Scofield can be heard giving the McLeod brothers directions after Stitt’s killing. 

Heckert also said she was “happy” the case was resolved and did not have to go to trial.

Heckert said the office would continue to prepare for the trial of Dylan McLeod.