​​A ​Lawrence County teenager accused of killing his father's pregnant fiancee when he was 11 may get a new trial after a ruling Monday from the state's highest court.

In a 5-1 vote, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court found that Jordan Brown, now 17, may challenge the evidence supporting his 2012 conviction and sent the case back to Lawrence County juvenile court. Justice Thomas G. Saylor filed both concurring and dissenting opinions to the majority decision.

Lourdes Rosado, one of the teen's attorneys, said today that his defense team will file a motion for a new trial once the case file is returned to Lawrence County.

"We're gratified that the Supreme Court rejected the Commonwealth's argument," she said. "We will be vigorously pursuing this when it gets back to the juvenile court."

A Lawrence County juvenile court judge found Jordan, now 17, responsible for shooting Kenzie Houk, 26, with his youth-model shotgun while she slept in their New Beaver farmhouse, killing her and her unborn son in 2009.

Attorneys for the teen appealed the decision, and the state Superior Court last year overturned the juvenile court finding, saying a 45-minute window -- from when Jordan and one of Ms. Houk's daughters caught the school bus and a tree company gathering firewood on the lot arrived for work -- was unaccounted for.

The attorney general's office contended there is no evidence that anyone else committed the crime and asked the Supreme Court to review the case. 

Asked for comment today on the ruling, an AG’s office spokeswoman said the office cannot comment because juvenile proceedings are closed.

First Published: December 16, 2014, 9:02 p.m.