Updated: Jennifer Daugherty: WTF?

Update: A memorial Facebook page has been set-up for Jennifer Daugherty.

Update: Latest via the AP. Time to get back to politics. But it always amazed me how much you could often discover via the Internet when I was doing some crime blogging. Sad that so many lives play out out here everyday, mostly ignored, until a tragedy occurs.

GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) -- The stepfather of a Pennsylvania woman who police say was tortured, beaten and fatally stabbed tells The Associated Press that the victim was "mentally challenged."

Robert "Bobby" Murphy said Friday that 30-year-old Jennifer Daugherty had mentioned the names of some of the suspects as her "friends" in recent months.

Murphy says he was the last family member to see Daugherty alive. That was on Monday, when he took her to a bus stop in Mount Pleasant so she could go to Greensburg.

That's where police have charged six people who they say fed the woman vegetable oil, spices, detergent, urine and medications before she was killed.

Damn. Was able to confirm it via the pictures on Jennifer Daugherty's MySpace page. See last image, it's the one the press is using. Via a Twitter account, Twilightgal - it appears she had some recent issues with a male. But may have met someone else. Her last message - which was Tweeted here on the 26th. Based upon the Tweets, she was involved with males named Bobby and Edward at some point. She claimed Bobby was a new boyfriend. One of the suspects is a Robert Loran Masters. 

Jenny Daugherty this is my time to make a new start for myself, and making some new friends and not being afraid of anything, so this is going to be a good thing for me..

Not sure if this is the right Marinucci, or not. Manstoy.

This looks like it'sAmber Meidinger on MySpace. Tinkerbell??

Hey my name is Amber Im a layed bak female easygoin, i love to talk nd help ppl dat need to talk to me im 8 weeks pregnant nd i got a fience but people seem to get in the way of the relationship but i aint going to let dat put me down i know im a gud women i just wish people would relieze dat but dats all bout me

More here - a press conference at 1 pm.

Update: A previous court appearance involving Smyrnes here:

Ricky V. Smyrnes, 22, of 13299 Ridge Road, North Huntingdon, pleaded guilty to simple assault and harassment. He was sentenced to two to 23 months in jail and was ordered to complete anger management classes.

This is just so mind-blowingly evil. She's pictured here. Another item has the suspect's images. What could possibly motivate someone, let alone a group of people, to do something like this? It's so incredibly sick. It's just evil.

Police have charged six people in the death of a woman whose tortured body was found in a plastic garbage container in a Greensburg school parking lot.

Jennifer DaughertyPolice say Jennifer Daugherty was stabbed repeatedly in a second-floor Greensburg apartment where some of the suspects live. Ms. Daugherty's age and address weren't available; she'd been missing since Monday.

According to police, Ms. Daugherty's hair was shaved and she was bound with Christmas decorations and clothing. Police say she was beaten, her face painted with nail polish and she was fed vegetable oil, spices, detergent, urine and medications.

They say she was also forced to write a suicide note.

Her body was found Thursday at Greensburg Salem Middle School.

Court records show the five adult suspects are: Robert L. Masters Jr., 36, of Greensburg; Ricky V. Smyrnes, 23, of Greensburg; Melvin Knight, 20, of Greensburg; Amber C. Meidinger, 20, of Greensburg; and Peggy D. Miller, age unknown, of Mount Pleasant.

Comments

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

Is it too early to mention the Death Penalty?

[Huey]

For the Judge and the DA?

I'm in.

[Dan Riehl]

What are you talking about, Huey?

[vendingplus]

She was about to tell all she knew about the disappearance of Natalee....they had to silence her!

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

Amber is in college, yet she appears to be completely illiterate. Must be a fine school.

[Huey]

Dan: I'm talking about this:

"Ricky V. Smyrnes, 22, of 13299 Ridge Road, North Huntingdon, pleaded guilty to simple assault and harassment. He was sentenced to two to 23 months in jail and was ordered to complete anger management classes."

When the charge is this:

"Police say Jennifer Daugherty was stabbed repeatedly in a second-floor Greensburg apartment where some of the suspects live. Ms. Daugherty's age and address weren't available; she'd been missing since Monday.

According to police, Ms. Daugherty's hair was shaved and she was bound with Christmas decorations and clothing. Police say she was beaten, her face painted with nail polish and she was fed vegetable oil, spices, detergent, urine and medications."

[Dan Riehl]

Oh, sorry - I thought you meant the ones in this case. Yeah, typical coddle the criminals BS. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Huey]

Dan: Sorry. My post wasn't clear in any fashion as to whom it was directed. Thanks for pointing that out and allowing me the opportunity to clear it up!

[Lala]

There has to come a time where plea-bargaining is off the table.

[Huey]

I don't have a problem with ple-bargaining in general, or even in the above case. It saves time and scarce resources to allow the guilty to accept a lesser punishment, and, frequently makes more certain that any others who are likewise awaiting trial rush for the DA's office to plead and get the best deal (while ratting out their confederates -- making THEIR convictions even more certain -- rinse and repeat.)

But, MAN... giving up this much for ANY reason is just disturbing.

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

Huey, the plea-bargain in question was for a PREVIOUS incident, not this murder case.

[Huey]

A Balrog: Yes. I know. Is there any reason to believe that there is a different Judge or District Attorney involved in the other cases? I don't know, and my venom was directed at the Judge and DA who pled the previous case (as Dan helped me to clarify).

But, ordinarily, the same Judge will try each of the co-conspirators and, unless there's been an election, it will be the same District Attorney who authorizes any subsequent plea bargain.

[SacTownMan]

Can you say Helter Skelter?

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

OK, that plea deal did not seem all that ridiculous to me.

[Sam]

That is just plain evil and cruel...May all 6 of the criminals get due justice and may God deal with them in a way that only He can. There is no excuse to treat another human being that way. Especially one with a mental handicap. That is such a shame. May Jennifer's soul be at peace and rest.

[Huey]

A Balrog:

Dan:

Ah. I think I see my mistake.

I read the "previous court appearance" as a "previous court appearance of one of the defendants in this case" rather than a "previous court appearance" in an unrelated matter.

I thought it was an early entered plea bargain in THIS case, a not uncommon happening that one pleads guilty early for favorable treatment in exchange for his testimony against the co-defendants.

I'm sorry. I read into it something which wasn't there.

[Lala]

Plea bargains are unfair to the victim who, by the way, is rarely consulted.

[Huey]

Lala: Plea bargains have their function.

Consider the result of no plea bargains. If no one was allowed to plead guilty to a reduced crime (and sentence), then every criminal charge would result in a trial -- the vast majority of them a jury trial.

If you have ever been in a courtroom during arraignment day(s) and seen the sheer number of criminal defendants, you would understand the State's desire to dispose of as many cases by guilty pleas as possible.

Further, so many cases are "over-charged" that a "reduced charge" frequently is simply the prosecutor agreeing to dispose of the extra charges (possession, possession of paraphenalia, possession with intent, manufacturing -- etc. when someone has 10 joints and a roach clip).

But, from any victim's standpoint, it would surely suck.

[Marilyn]

So sick. I hope they get death.

[Gerd]

This is just sick beyond words. Rest in peace, poor girl.

[Don Bennett]

Thanks for gathering all the information on this abominable crime against humanity.

There is now a petition to impeach Judge Debra Pezze, who parolled the ringleader Smyrna for serious violent crimes on THREE occasions.

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/JudgeDebraPezze

[Johnnie]

"Based upon the Tweets, she was involved with males named Bobby and Edward"
I'm not sure, but my guess would be that she wasn't involved with someone named "Edward", but being that her Twitter account was "Twlightgal" (Twilightgal), she was calling her love interest Edward - "You will always be my Edward" who was the main character from the Twilight Vampire Romance series. I would bet on it.

[Nunya]

I am trying to get around to some of the larger postings on these events, and thank those who have well wishes and good prayers for Jenn and the family. It is getting late so my words are getting fewer, and of course the feelings of sadness for Jenn and anger towards the people I call the Satanic Six are and will be fresh for sometime. I have given them a name although I prefer the only press attention they get is with their convictions, and hopefully severe sentencing. I think Jennifer should get all the attention, and hopefully educate us to save another some day.
I feel on this particular posting compelled to comment on the plea bargains in our judicial system, and I understand why we have them for lesser crimes.
But I will conclude with a thought.
Lets consider what Jenn's pleas or "plea bargains" were during her continual torture and finally murder.

Jenn RIP.

[Joe C]

Im from her area and just wanted to point out that Im pretty sure shes not talking about that Bobby. Please pray for her family and if anyones interested there is an account set up for a memorial at the Mt. Pleasant Pa PNC Bank. Call and ask if you would like to donate. Thank you.

[Elishia Windfohr]

This Whole case has made me sick to my stomach! This case deserves severe punishment by the courts. We can't have animals like this running around in the world!

Elishia Windfohr

[Kathleen]

These institutions that are to facilitate these type of hate-crime criminals are out of touch with America. Why would Wesley Spectrum Higlands Schools allow Ricky Smyrnes to punch autistic children in the face, and reward him with candy? These parents at that school that complained were not heard and niether was Jennifer Daugherty. These people that run that school should be put on display as a brutal institution that pampers criminals and punks while they allow handicapped children to be brutalized. Isn't that what Ricky Smyrnes did to Jennifer? I too am sick to my stomach! Katheen Bleiel