Teen charged in death of Lincoln Hills counselor pleads guilty by mental disease, defect

LINCOLN COUNTY – A teen charged in the 2024 death of a Lincoln Hills counselor pleaded to amended charges earlier this month.

According to court records, Javarius Hurd, 17, appeared in Lincoln County court on Friday, Jan. 9, and pleaded guilty/no contest by mental disease or defect to one felony count of second-degree reckless homicide. Hurd also pleaded guilty to one felony count of battery by prisoners. A second battery by prisoners charge was dismissed in exchange for the pleas.

Hurd was previously facing one felony count of first-degree reckless homicide and two felony counts of battery by prisoners.

The charges stem from a June 24, 2024 incident in which Hurd, then 16, assaulted two Lincoln Hills staff members, the first being a female and the second being Corey Proulx, 49. Hurd punched Proulx, causing him to fall and hit his head on the concrete. Proulx died the following day.

A second teen, Rian Nyblom, then 17, was also involved in the incident. Nyblom, who provided Hurd with soap that was used in the assault of the female staff member, was charged with one count of felony murder-battery, special circumstances, party to a crime; and two felony counts of battery by prisoners, party to a crime. In April 2025, as part of a plea deal, Nyblom pleaded guilty to amended charges of battery by prisoners. Nyblom was sentenced to five years in prison last August. He was credited with 405 days served.

A phase two trial is set to begin on Monday, Feb. 2, during which a jury will determine whether Hurd was suffering from a mental disease or defect at the time of the altercation with Proulx and whether Hurd should serve a prison sentence or be committed to a psychiatric hospital.