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Death penalty trial continues in 'Greensburg 6' case
Ricky Smyrnes accused of leading Jennifer Daugherty's group murder
Prosecution lawyers on Tuesday continued to lay out their death penalty case against Ricky Smyrnes, one of six people charged with killing Jennifer Daugherty.During day two of trial testimony, jurors viewed graphic photos taken before and during Daugherty's autopsy. Former Westmoreland County Detective Adam Jack testified Daugherty was stabbed and cut several times all over her body. She was also stabbed twice in the heart.The woman's body was stashed in a garbage can and dumped at Greensburg Salem Middle School on Feb. 11, 2010. Jurors viewed photos of Daugherty's body once it was first removed from the garbage can. Her head was covered in plastic, her hands were bound in Christmas lights, her feet were bound with holiday garland, and Christmas lights and pajamas were tied around her neck. The pajamas were so saturated with blood, the original clothing color is not visible.City of Greensburg Police Detective Jerry Vernail testified he and other officers responded to 428 N. Pennsylvania Ave. around 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 regarding the homicide, and he saw Smyrnes walking toward the house. Vernail told jurors Smyrnes walked up to him and said "Detective Vernail, what's going on?" Vernail said they were investigating a missing person and asked Smyrnes if he knew Daugherty. Smyrnes reportedly replied that he did know her but hadn't seen her for several days. Vernail also testified Smyrnes told him he had been staying at the home but did not sleep there the night before.Jurors also viewed photos of bloodied items used as weapons to assault Daugherty, including crutches, a knife and a towel rack. (SLIDESHOW: Evidence photos from the Daugherty case.)Autopsy photos depicted multiple bruises across her body. Her hair was cut, and prosecutors said she was forced to drink cooking oil, perfume and a mixture of human waste.In opening arguments Monday, defense attorney Mike Deriso said Smyrnes did not stab Daugherty, and he called claims that Smyrnes was the ringleader "ridiculous."District Attorney John Peck has called Smyrnes the orchestrator of the torturing and killing of Daugherty that took place from Feb. 8-11, 2010.Rebecca Clark testified her father was driving her to work on the morning of Feb. 11, 2010, when she saw two men dragging a garbage can across Main Street. Worker Daniel Grant told jurors he discovered the garbage can lodged underneath his truck, which was parked at the middle school that morning. Inside, he found what he believed was a body. "I knew it was a person," he told jurors.Daugherty was living with a mental disability and boarded a bus from Mount Pleasant to Greensburg to be with Smyrnes and five others she considered friends. Daugherty had a romantic interest in Smyrnes, and that made his then-girlfriend Angela Marinucci jealous. Over that three-day period, prosecutors allege Smyrnes, Marinucci, Melvin Knight, Amber Meidinger, Peggy Miller and Robert Masters tortured Daugherty inside an apartment on Pennsylvania Avenue.Knight previously pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, and Marinucci was convicted in 2011 of that same charge.Testimony continues Wednesday in Judge Rita Hathaway's courtroom. Smyrnes is charged with first- and second-degree murder, conspiracy and kidnapping.
GREENSBURG, Pa. —
Prosecution lawyers on Tuesday continued to lay out their death penalty case against Ricky Smyrnes, one of six people charged with killing Jennifer Daugherty.
During day two of trial testimony, jurors viewed graphic photos taken before and during Daugherty's autopsy. Former Westmoreland County Detective Adam Jack testified Daugherty was stabbed and cut several times all over her body. She was also stabbed twice in the heart.
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The woman's body was stashed in a garbage can and dumped at Greensburg Salem Middle School on Feb. 11, 2010. Jurors viewed photos of Daugherty's body once it was first removed from the garbage can. Her head was covered in plastic, her hands were bound in Christmas lights, her feet were bound with holiday garland, and Christmas lights and pajamas were tied around her neck. The pajamas were so saturated with blood, the original clothing color is not visible.
City of Greensburg Police Detective Jerry Vernail testified he and other officers responded to 428 N. Pennsylvania Ave. around 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 regarding the homicide, and he saw Smyrnes walking toward the house. Vernail told jurors Smyrnes walked up to him and said "Detective Vernail, what's going on?" Vernail said they were investigating a missing person and asked Smyrnes if he knew Daugherty. Smyrnes reportedly replied that he did know her but hadn't seen her for several days. Vernail also testified Smyrnes told him he had been staying at the home but did not sleep there the night before.
Jurors also viewed photos of bloodied items used as weapons to assault Daugherty, including crutches, a knife and a towel rack. (SLIDESHOW: Evidence photos from the Daugherty case.)Autopsy photos depicted multiple bruises across her body. Her hair was cut, and prosecutors said she was forced to drink cooking oil, perfume and a mixture of human waste.
In opening arguments Monday, defense attorney Mike Deriso said Smyrnes did not stab Daugherty, and he called claims that Smyrnes was the ringleader "ridiculous."District Attorney John Peck has called Smyrnes the orchestrator of the torturing and killing of Daugherty that took place from Feb. 8-11, 2010.
Rebecca Clark testified her father was driving her to work on the morning of Feb. 11, 2010, when she saw two men dragging a garbage can across Main Street. Worker Daniel Grant told jurors he discovered the garbage can lodged underneath his truck, which was parked at the middle school that morning. Inside, he found what he believed was a body. "I knew it was a person," he told jurors.
Daugherty was living with a mental disability and boarded a bus from Mount Pleasant to Greensburg to be with Smyrnes and five others she considered friends. Daugherty had a romantic interest in Smyrnes, and that made his then-girlfriend Angela Marinucci jealous. Over that three-day period, prosecutors allege Smyrnes, Marinucci, Melvin Knight, Amber Meidinger, Peggy Miller and Robert Masters tortured Daugherty inside an apartment on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Knight previously pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, and Marinucci was convicted in 2011 of that same charge.
Testimony continues Wednesday in Judge Rita Hathaway's courtroom. Smyrnes is charged with first- and second-degree murder, conspiracy and kidnapping.
