List of Victims
The little world of Blair County has seen more than its share of murders, some of them cruel and savage beyond description. This site is an effort to memorialize those victims, those people who never would have wanted to be within the pages of a book like this, and yet, it happened to them. They were not so very different from you or I. Most were good people. They were mothers and wives; fathers and husbands; children and older people. They have been black, and white, rich and poor. Most were life-long residents in Blair County, with family ties to the community. Some were just passing through on a train. Whatever their stories, they all had one thing in common: None of them deserved to die, when they did, and how they did. This site and book endeavor to remember the Blair County victims of this most violent of crimes; it is hoped that nothing contained therein would be deemed inappropriate or offense by family members, friends, or acquaintances of anyone mentioned on this site.
A note on the current status of inmates:
On the current status of convicted offenders: All information comes directly from, and only from, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections website. The Department’s website complies with Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), 18 Pa. C.S.A. Section 9101 et seq. CHRIA limits the type of criminal justice information that may be disseminated to the public.
8000+ views
On June 16, 2009, Michael McGinley was honored at the Blair County Courthouse. His name was added to the slain officer’s memorial there. Also in the courthouse yard is a stone monument to the victims of murder in Blair County. The District Attorney’s office has put a memorial within the courthouse listing victims by name.
There have now been over 8000 views of the site. There are still numerous cases before the court.
Definitions
In the days of the early republic, there were numerous crimes punishable by death, and because the sentence was mandatory, it was difficult to get a jury to convict these criminals. Pennsylvania Attorney General William Bradford guided reforms. Pennsylvania became the first state to break down murder in degrees. An Act of the legislation of Pennsylvania (22d April 1794) declares all murder which shall be perpetrated by means of poison or by lying in wait or by any other kind of willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing, or which shall be committed in the perpetration of or attempt to perpetrate any arson, rape, robbery, or burglary shall be deemed murder of the first degree ; and all other kinds of murder shall be deemed murder of the second degree. The statute, says Bishop (Commentaries on the Criminal Law, vol. ii. § 745), “is the parent of all the others.”
In 1834, Pennsylvania became the first state to ban public executions. Counties, including Blair County, conducted their own executions by hanging, inside the walls of the county jail. In 1913, Pennsylvania began using the electric chair at Rockview State Prison in Centre County for all executions, and the task became the duty of the state. From 1915 to 1962, 348 men and 2 women were put to death there. The law required six witnesses to be present and testify to the death; in addition, no more than six members of the media were also permitted. An electrician was hired to pull the actual switch, gradually sending 12 amperes and 2000 volts through the condemned.
In 1990, Governor Casey changed the method of execution to lethal injection, but it was not used until 1995.
Pennsylvania’s current definitions are thus:
§ 2501. Criminal homicide.
(a) Offense defined.-A person is guilty of criminal homicide if he intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or negligently causes the death of another human being.
(b) Classification.-Criminal homicide shall be classified as murder, voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary manslaughter.
§ 2502. Murder.
(a) Murder of the first degree.-A criminal homicide constitutes murder of the first degree when it is committed by an intentional killing.
(b) Murder of the second degree.-A criminal homicide constitutes murder of the second degree when it is committed while defendant was engaged as a principal or
an accomplice in the perpetration of a felony.
(c) Murder of the third degree.-All other kinds of murder shall be murder of the third degree. Murder of the third degree is a felony of the first degree.
(d) Definitions.-As used in this section the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
. . . .
“Intentional killing.”
Killing by means of poison, or by lying in wait, or by any other kind of willful, deliberate and premeditated killing.
“Perpetration of a felony.”
The act of the defendant in engaging in or being an accomplice in the commission of, or an attempt to commit, or flight after committing, or attempting to
commit robbery, rape, or deviate sexual intercourse by force or threat of force, arson, burglary or kidnapping.
“Principal.”
A person who is the actor or perpetrator of the crime.
The death penalty is applied in Pennsylvania in cases where a defendant is found guilty of first degree murder. A separate hearing is held for the consideration of aggravating and mitigating circumstances. If at least one of the ten aggravating circumstances listed in the law and none of the eight mitigating factors are found to be present, the verdict must be death.
Any post-trial motions are usually then heard and considered, and then the convicted person is formally sentenced. An automatic review of the case by the state Supreme Court follows. The court can either uphold the sentence or vacate it and impose life sentence.
If the Supreme Court affirms the sentence, the case goes to the Governor’s Office where it is reviewed by appropriate legal counsel and, ultimately, by the Governor himself. Only the Governor may set the execution date, which is done through the signing of a document known as the Governor’s Warrant. By law, all executions are carried out at the State Correctional Institution at Rockview.
Purpose of this blog
The purpose of this blog is
- ‘to memorialize the victims of murder in Blair County;
- to store historical information on the victims, the murderers, the trials, and the sentencings;
- to make the future book, “Murders in Blair County: A History” available.
This project began after an acquaintance was a victim of a murder in another county. It did not take long for him to fade from the newspapers. His killer remained on the front page, and in the news, as his trial and proceedings developed. He has remained in the news, even years later, as he files various appeals and motions. The victim is forgotten. This blog began first as a page on www.lostowl.com, but my interest in the subject grew as I found more and more of these forgotten victims. Victims of manslaughter and other homicide charges, such as vehicular, may not not included. Because this site is a work-in-progress, there may be victims listed here whose names will later be removed. This would occur if further research into some of the older cases reveals they were concluded without a murder conviction, or if pending cases are resolved without a first, second, or third degree conviction. Manslaughter convictions of particular interest may be included, especially if the original charge was of murder, and will be indicated as such. The other exception will be for cases of murder-suicide. Obviously, when a murderer commits suicide immediately following his or her crime, no charges are filed. These cases will be documented here. The victims of violent crime, not only in Blair County, but everywhere, deserve to be remembered. The public should be able to see “what happened.” Was justice served, were the guilty punished?
Publication of “Murders of Blair County: A History” will be announced here.
Obviously, many different sources have been used to build this site. I would like to thank especially the Altoona Mirror and its writers; going back to 1876, they have been the primary reporters of most of these incidents. I have also leaned heavily on the old Altoona Tribune, the Blair County Prothonatary’s office, and numerous websites storing scans of historical newspapers and family history information. These sources will be fully referenced in the forthcoming book.
Should you feel that information here is incorrect, incomplete, or offensive, please note that on the relevant page using the comment option. All comments will be studied and changes, if appropriate and necessary, made. If the comment itself is helpful, it will be approved to become part of that page.
Thank you to everyone who has so far expressed interest and support. After nine months, this site has now had over 8000 views. Thank you.
