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Murder of Jennifer Daugherty

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Jennifer Daugherty
Born
Jennifer Lee Daugherty

(1979-11-08)November 8, 1979
Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedFebruary 11, 2010(2010-02-11) (aged 30)
Greensburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Known forMentally disabled woman who was tortured and stabbed to death by "The Greensburg Six"

Jennifer Lee Daugherty (November 8, 1979 – February 11, 2010) was an American woman who was torture-murdered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania as an act of revenge in February 2010. Daugherty, who was mentally disabled, was tortured and murdered before being wrapped in Christmas decorations, put inside a garbage can, and dumped in the parking lot of Greensburg-Salem Middle School.

Perpetrators

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The Greensburg Six
MotiveUnknown, possibly revenge
Conviction(s)
  • Death (Smyrnes, Knight)
  • Life in prison without parole (Marinucci),
  • 20-80 years in prison (Masters, Medinger, Miller)
Details
Victims1
DateFebruary 11, 2010; 14 years ago (2010-02-11)
Date apprehended
February 12, 2010

Amber Meidinger met Melvin Knight at a homeless shelter in Washington in January 2010. They moved to several locations before settling in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where they met Jennifer Daugherty.[1] Knight met Ricky Smyrnes after meeting previously in jail.[2]

Knight and Marinucci both were alleged to have suffered from severe mental impairment at the time of the murder. Knight was born to a drug-addicted father who was imprisoned during the early years of his life. He developed lifelong learning and social disabilities after he fell out of a moving vehicle and hit his head at age 5.[3] According to testimony by Marinucci's mother and half-sister, she suffered a head injury when she was hit by a truck in 2008, at the age of 15. The injury substantially altered her behavior and pushed her into a downward spiral that ended with Daugherty's death, according to the defense. Two mental experts testified that Marinucci suffered from depression as a child and might have had drug and alcohol addictions as a teenager.[4]

Peggy Miller and Robert Masters were roommates of Ricky Smyrnes and had minimal contact with law enforcement prior to the murder. Smyrnes was born to a drug-addicted Philadelphia sex worker and a Pittsburgh gang member. He was moved into and out of foster homes as a child and was treated for mental health disorders as early as age 4. He suffered abuse and neglect until he was taken in by the Smyrnes family in North Huntingdon at age 10, according to testimony by forensic psychologist Alice Applegate.[5] His lawyer, Terri Fayes, told the jury that Smyrnes suffered sexual and physical abuse from his father and his uncle. She also explained how he had tried beer, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana by age 6, had been diagnosed with PTSD at age 8, and had undergone 103 therapy sessions by age 10. She added he was diagnosed as having as many as seven different personalities, and 15 total psychiatric issues. In 1997, he burglarized his neighbor's home and stole knives, guitars, coins, bullets, and cash. That same year, he sexually assaulted a woman in her basement.[6]

Meidinger testified she and Knight, her then-boyfriend, met Smyrnes on February 8, 2010, after the couple had been staying at a Greensburg-area hotel. Smyrnes invited Meidinger and Knight to stay at his apartment at 428 N. Pennsylvania Avenue in Greensburg, where the murder would occur three days later.[7]

Abduction and torture

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Daugherty's last recorded words were a note to her mother that said, “Mom, I hope you have a good day at work, and I love you very much. Love, Jennifer”.[8]

Medinger told jurors, "at some point, she [Daugherty] trusted me because she knew me from the West Place (a center for people with special needs)." The friendship led to Daugherty traveling from her home in Mount Pleasant to Smyrnes' apartment on Monday, February 8, 2010. She was then held captive for three days where she was tortured repeatedly.[9]

According to a testimony by Meidinger, the group went through Daugherty's purse and stole money, gift cards, and her cell phone. They poured liquids into her bag, hit her head with filled soda bottles, cut her hair, painted her face with nail polish, and dumped liquid and spices on her head. Meidinger said she and Angela Marinucci took turns violently hitting Daugherty with a metal towel rack and crutches. She also noted that Daugherty was stripped naked, gagged, and raped by Knight.[1] They also forced her to consume feces, urine, and detergent.[10][11] Meidinger also said Knight took Daugherty to the living room where Marinucci poured a bottle of water over Daugherty's head and Knight and Smyrnes dumped oatmeal and spices on her head. Daugherty said that her eyes were burning, and Smyrnes told her to take a shower because she smelled bad.[2]

According to her relatives, Daugherty had the mental abilities of an adolescent, trusted everyone, and thought that the suspects were her "friends."[12]

Murder

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Several witnesses claimed Marinucci planned to kill Daugherty several days before the rest began planning. They testified Marinucci overheard Smyrnes calling Daugherty and telling her that he loved her and wanted to marry her.[13] Smyrnes, who was 25-years-old at the time, was in a relationship with 17-year-old Marinucci.[14] During Smyrnes' testimony, he told jurors about the alleged love triangle between Daugherty, Marinucci, and Smyrnes.[2]

According to his testimony, Masters helped Daugherty retrieve her clothes that Knight and Smyrnes had stripped from her and tossed out a window on the first day of the beatings. Before Daugherty could get her clothes and get out, Knight and Smyrnes returned to the apartment at 428 N. Pennsylvania Ave.[13] As a result, the group voted to kill her. Miller decided to tie her with Christmas lights. They forced her to write a fake suicide note and then stabbed her to death. Smyrnes gave Knight a steak knife and stabbed her in the chest and throat.[15] Her body was stuffed inside a garbage can, and dumped in the parking lot of Greensburg-Salem Middle School.[16] Marinucci told police officials that Knight and Meidinger drugged her before stabbing her.[13]

Trial

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At the start of the trial on November 3, 2010, the prosecution was seeking the death penalty for Smyrnes, Knight and Meidinger.[17] However, as of August 1, 2019, Knight and Smyrnes are the only convicts on death row.[18]

Several jail inmates testified that Marinucci planned to kill Daugherty several days before her body was discovered. Neighbor Anthony Zappone heard Marinucci say, "I'm going to kill that bitch". He was also sentenced to jail for an unrelated burglary charge. Tina Warrick testified Marinucci told her she was disappointed with the type of Christmas garland Miller purchased to tie Daugherty up and dump her body.[13] Floria Headen heard body slamming and screaming on February 12, 2010.[19] Felisha Hardison, who was a cellmate and friend to Marinucci, testified that she was jumping on her bed, excited to be on the news.[20]

Masters and Meidinger reached a plea bargain to testify.

Sentencing

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On April 12, 2012, Knight pleaded guilty to first- and second-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping.[21] On August 30, 2012, a jury deliberated for several hours, before voting to put Knight to death.[22] In September 2014, Knight appealed his sentence.[23] His trial was delayed several times,[24][25][26] and his sentence was upheld in March 2019.[27] In November 2020, Knight attempted to appeal his sentence via the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. The appeal included statements and claims that jurors acted with passion and prejudice and arbitrarily imposed the death penalty. However, it was unanimously rejected by the judges.[28]

"Following our thorough review of the record, in this case, we conclude that the appellant’s sentence of death was not the product of passion, prejudice, or any other arbitrary factor, but rather was fully supported by the evidence that (Knight) and his co-defendants held the intellectually disabled victim against her will for several days, during which time they continuously subjected her to myriad forms of physical and emotional torture, eventually stabbing her in the chest, slicing her throat (and) strangling her"

— Debra Todd, [28]

On August 3, 2011, Marinucci was formally given a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole after being found guilty in May of first-degree murder.[29] She was 17 years old at the time of the crime so she was ineligible for the death penalty, as she was still a minor.[29] Marinucci had her life without possibility of parole sentence revoked, due to the 2012 and 2016 Supreme Court rulings Miller v. Alabama and Montgomery v. Louisiana.[30][31] However, on July 1, 2015, a jury decided to re-sentence her to her previous sentence. Marinucci refused to answer any questions before she attended.[32] In May 2022, Marinucci was resentenced to 60 years to life in prison with parole eligibility in 2070.[33]

On December 4, 2013, Meidinger was sentenced to 40 to 80 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy.[34] Meidinger filed paperwork in November 2019 with the state's Board of Pardons, seeking early termination of her 40- to 80-year prison sentence.[35]

Amber Meidinger almost received the death penalty until she agreed to testify against the others. The Westmoreland County District Attorney decided not to pursue the death penalty. Her defense attorney, Tim Dawson, questioned why she wanted to testify.[1] During the testimony, she admitted she lied about the state of her mental health. Meidinger falsely told police officers that she had mental issues.[36]

Peggy Darlene Miller[19][37] was sentenced to 35 to 74 years.[38] On February 28, 2013, Smyrnes was sentenced to death. Smyrnes appealed his sentence. In February 2017, a judge upheld his death sentence.[39] His execution was delayed in July 2017.[40] Robert Loren Masters Jr.[19][37] pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping on December 19, 2013. Masters was sentenced to 30 to 70 years. Masters' attorney, William Gallishen, helped Masters reach a plea bargain against the other five. After he agreed, he was moved to another jail for protection because other suspects were being held there. He did not publicly share any information related to the plea bargain.[13]

Incarceration

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Robert Loren Masters is currently imprisoned in the State Correctional Institution – Greene, Ricky Ven Smyrnes and Melvin Knight are in the State Correctional Institution - Phoenix, Peggy Darlene Miller and Amber Meidinger are in the State Correctional Institution - Muncy,[35] and Angela Marinucci is imprisoned in the State Correctional Institution - Cambridge Springs.[41]

Legacy

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Forensic pathologist and former Allegheny County Coroner Cyril H. Wecht, who had conducted and reviewed thousands of autopsies of homicide victims, stated, "... This is one of the most horrific cases I have seen... You have one young, defenseless woman, six people who are keeping her captive and doing all of these things, knowing she is [mentally challenged]. Put it all together, it is bizarre, it is extreme barbarism."[42]

On April 23, 2012, at a conference, Pennsylvania State Senator Kim Ward proposed a legislation law named "Jennifer's Law." The proposal would make it illegal for someone to witness a violent crime and fail to report it to the police.[43] Failure to report the crime would be a misdemeanor of the third degree.[44]

"Cruel Intentions", an episode of Frenemies: Loyalty Turned Lethal, is a biopic based on the events.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Cholodofsky, Rich. "Roommate gives jurors gruesome details of 2010 torture-murder in Greensburg". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Hardway, Ashlie (February 8, 2013). "'Greensburg 6' co-defendant says victim just wanted love". WTAE-TV. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  3. ^ "Jennifer Daugherty's killer hopes plea saves his life". WTAE-TV. August 20, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  4. ^ Cholodofsky, Rich (June 30, 2015). "Greensburg torture killer Marinucci returns to court seeking lighter sentence". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
  5. ^ "Psychologist testifies to awful childhood of convicted murderer of Jennifer Daugherty". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Hardway, Ashlie (February 20, 2013). "Witnesses testify Ricky Smyrnes stole, vandalized, committed assault as a juvenile". WTAE. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  7. ^ Hardway, Ashlie (February 7, 2013). "'Greensburg 6' co-defendant says victim just wanted love". WTAE-TV. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  8. ^ Cholodofsky, Rich (November 13, 2018). "Mother tells jurors of note left by her daughter before 2010 Greensburg slaying". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  9. ^ "Family: 'Friends' torture, kill disabled woman". NBC News. February 12, 2010. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  10. ^ "Graphic Tapes Describe Jennifer Daugherty's Torture Death". Pittsburgh Channel. Pittsburgh. March 5, 2010. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  11. ^ 6 held for trial in Greensburg torture, slaying, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 4, 2010
  12. ^ "Pa. family: 'Friends' torture, kill disabled woman". Washington Post. February 13, 2010. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010.
  13. ^ a b c d e Pierce, Paul. "Daugherty Greensburg torture-killing told in ghastly detail". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  14. ^ "Greensburg 6 Ringleader Sentenced to Death". 90.5 WESA. March 1, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  15. ^ Edecio Martinez (February 16, 2010). "Jennifer Daugherty, Mentally Disabled Woman, Trusted Everyone, Including Her Killers". CBS News. Archived from the original on February 19, 2010. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
  16. ^ Kotz, Pete (February 19, 2010). "Jennifer Daugherty, Mentally Disabled, was Tortured & Murdered by Her 'Friends'; 6 Arrested". True Crime Report. New York. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  17. ^ Cholodofsky, Rich (November 3, 2010). "6 to stand trial in Greensburg torture-slaying". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on October 28, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  18. ^ "Persons Sentenced to Execution in Pennsylvania as of August 1, 2019" (PDF). Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. August 1, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 29, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  19. ^ a b c "Trial of "friend" in torture, slaying of mentally disabled woman begins". CBS News. May 10, 2011. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  20. ^ Cellmate Testifies That Marinucci Was Excited To Be On TV. WTAE-TV. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2020 – via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  21. ^ "Man pleads guilty in Daugherty killing". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 3, 2012. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  22. ^ Mandak, Joe (August 30, 2012). "Jury Gives Death Penalty in PA Torture Killing". San Francisco Chronicle. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 27, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2012.
  23. ^ Ove, Torsten (September 5, 2014). "'Greensburg Six' killer appeals death-penalty in torture-killing". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on September 6, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  24. ^ Cholodofsky, Rich (February 26, 2018). "Melvin Knight's new penalty phase trial set for his role in Mt. Pleasant woman's torture, murder". TribLIVE.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  25. ^ Cholodofsky, Rich (June 20, 2018). "Melvin Knight seeks to withdraw guilty plea in Mt. Pleasant woman's killing". TribLIVE.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  26. ^ "Prosecutors need more time before sentencing trial for Melvin Knight". TribLIVE.com. June 25, 2018. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  27. ^ Cholodofsky, Rich (March 1, 2019). "Death penalty upheld for 'Greensburg Six' roommate Melvin Knight". triblive.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  28. ^ a b Cholodofsky, Rich (November 19, 2020). "Supreme Court upholds death penalty in Greensburg Six torture-murder appeal". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  29. ^ a b "'Greensburg 6' Suspect Formally Sentenced To Life In Prison". CBS Pittsburgh. August 3, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  30. ^ Cholodofsky, Rich (December 17, 2019). "3rd sentencing hearing postponed for woman convicted in Greensburg torture-murder". triblive.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  31. ^ "Woman convicted in Greensburg torture case faces 3rd sentencing hearing". Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  32. ^ Youngest "Greensburg 6" member resenteced. WTAE-TV. July 1, 2015. Archived from the original on August 9, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2020 – via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  33. ^ Goldstein, Andrew. "'Greensburg Six' member Angela Marinucci sentenced for third time in 2010 torture, murder". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on June 1, 2022.
  34. ^ "4th of 6 convicted in Jennifer Daugherty's torture, death". WPXI. December 5, 2013. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013.
  35. ^ a b Cholodofsky, Rich (December 5, 2019). "Woman sentenced in Greensburg torture slaying pleads for clemency". triblive.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  36. ^ Ove, Torsten (May 14, 2011). "Witness to killing testifies she initially lied to the police". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  37. ^ a b "Inmate/Parolee Locator". Inmate locator. Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  38. ^ Hardway, Ashlie (May 17, 2014). "Final 2 sentences close book on 'Greensburg 6' murder". WTAE-TV.
  39. ^ Cholodofsky, Rich (February 22, 2017). "Ringleader of Greensburg torture, murder case has death penalty conviction upheld". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  40. ^ Cholodofsky, Rich (July 10, 2017). "Westmoreland judge issues stay of execution for Smyrnes". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  41. ^ "Woman convicted in torture-murder scheduled for evaluation". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  42. ^ Sadie Gurman (February 14, 2010). "How slaying victim came to know her attackers". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  43. ^ "Legislator proposes 'Jennifer's Law'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on August 9, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  44. ^ Jennifer's Law Archived July 22, 2024, at the Wayback Machine - proposed legislation by Pennsylvania state senator Kim Ward
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