GUILTY PA - Denise Merhi, 39, & 3 men brutally murdered, Northampton, 26 June 2010

[panthera]

I am so sorry, karma-girl. :cry: Thank God though the children weren't home. My prayers for you and the family. :rose:

 

[songline]

I love you all!!! Thank you so much for all of your comments and cares, it means the world to me! I just got home after spending a couple of hours with the cousin/nephew of the Marsh's...there are many rumors floating around right now but I do know that it was a former boyfriend of Dennis' daughter...if it is the man they are talking about, he has previously served time for homicide of a homosexual male and molestation of an underage girl...this has yet to be confirmed so for now it is hearsay. If true why was this man walking the streets again and why was this family not notified of him being released!!!!
This is just so horrible and my hearts go out to the children that were thankfully not home at the time! They are only 10 and 13 years old and their father lives in Guatemala (from what I've been told).
They did not find Dennis until 3 hours after the others were found, he was in the basement and it disturbs me to no end to think he may have been alive and could possibly have been saved.
Dennis' ex-wife stated that they will have a funeral service for all 3 at the same time. The elderly man was in his 80's and in a wheelchair...Dennis was a diabetic that was misbehaving with food and beer the past 6 months, I am glad he enjoyed himself! He was a good man, always made time to talk and never let you see him down!
As for the comment about the accident, I have heard that he hit another family and they had to be medi-vacd to the hospital, I also heard he hit a pole...so hopefully they will release the details soon.
Again, thank you to all of you for caring...I will pass it on to the families.

Oh, one more thing...the neighbor that heard the screams ran next door and must have seen either the man or the blood because he was able to scream to his wife to get back in the house! I feel so awful for her and her children, I was told that her sons had to be held back because they were going to drive to St. Lukes hospital and kill this man who murdered their father!
What a horrible tragedy in this small quiet town...

I am a little confused, Denise's kids are 10 & 13? what boyfriend at that age?
I hope the neighbor dialed 911 before he went in there. Yes even then it would sadly be too late, seems he got killed just as he entered the house.
I would feel the same way as his children do, I'd want to go to the hospital and kill the SOB.
Why is that animal in a hospital? why dont they just let the SOB drop dead?
OK OK I know the law. but I dont like it.
He will get saved and 4 are dead this time, others are dead from his last fiasco. He is going to get the death sentence anyway, save the money and let him drop dead. GRRRR

 

[karma-girl]

I am a little confused, Denise's kids are 10 & 13? what boyfriend at that age?
I hope the neighbor dialed 911 before he went in there. Yes even then it would sadly be too late, seems he got killed just as he entered the house.
I would feel the same way as his children do, I'd want to go to the hospital and kill the SOB.
Why is that animal in a hospital? why dont they just let the SOB drop dead?
OK OK I know the law. but I dont like it.
He will get saved and 4 are dead this time, others are dead from his last fiasco. He is going to get the death sentence anyway, save the money and let him drop dead. GRRRR

Sorry that I could not explain it better at the time...4 generations lived in the household. It was Denise's ex-boyfriend who is 36 yrs old.
The DA just announced they will seek the death penalty. The only justice would have been to have kept him locked up in the first place!

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010...eaths_7723888.html?boxes=Homepagebusinessnews
(Now I need to learn how to sleuth in my own hometown to find his background as an SO!)

 

[LadyL]

karma-girl, I'm so sorry for your loss and please extend condolences to the families

how horrible for all of them

any words I can think of aren't adequate to convey my sympathy for the victims and my outrage about this crime

 

[karma-girl]

Here is a link to the presser, and an update to the case...
http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-northampton-homicide-followup-20100626-6,0,5413056.story

BBM & snipped-
Ballard, originally from Arkansas, received a 10 to 20 year sentence in 1992 after pleading guilty to third degree murder for killing an Allentown man, Donald C. Richard. Ballard, then 18, stabbed Richard, 56, six times and slashed his throat twice inside Richard's apartment in the 200 block of N.12 Street before taking his wallet and car. He fled to Arkansas, where he was captured. In his possession were documents then Lehigh County District Attorney Robert Steinberg said linked Ballard to the Ku Klux Klan and its Reading office.

Court documents reveal Ballard served most of his prison sentence, first at the State Correctional Facility at Frackville, and then at Rockview near State College. It's unclear when he was released. Morganelli said he believed it was a few months ago.

Morganelli declined to discuss a motive. A neighbor, Rebecca Germani, said there had been "prior incidents" between Ballard and Merhi's family and that she had recently contacted Northampton police. Germani, who described Ballard as Merhi's "former boyfriend," said she knew Ballard had served time in prison for a previous murder.

"I don't know how he got out. He only did 15 years prior for slashing somebody's throat," Germani said.

Merhi, who was divorced, worked as a medical assistant.

A Ballard relative, Vera Cody, 74, of Salisbury, said she felt "sick" after learning of the charges against him.

"They never should have let him out of prison," said Cody, a cousin to Ballard's father.

Ballard, then 18, stayed with Cody briefly in 1991 before she told him to leave just prior to the Richard murder.

"Why did they release him from prison?" she repeated again.

 

[Blue_Dolphin308]

I am in allentown, Please let me know if you need anything!

 

[karma-girl]

I am in allentown, Please let me know if you need anything!

:hug: Thanks Ladybass, it's comforting to know that I have a member of the WS family so close (I am in Coplay)! All I ask is if you are a praying person please add one for the children...thank you.

 

[STEADFAST]

Ballard served about 18 years of a 15- to 30-year sentence for the 1991 killing of Donald Richard, 56, of Allentown. Ballard was released for a year in 2007, but was jailed again for a parole violation and then paroled in April, officials said.

On Saturday, Ballard was scheduled to return at 2 p.m. to the Allentown Community Corrections Center, a halfway house for state prison inmates, where he had been living, according to a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections spokeswoman. http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/index.ssf?/base/news-1/127769790566330.xml&coll=3

He wasn't even finished serving his sentence for the first murder when he committed these murders, yet he was roaming around the community!

 

[songline]

Sorry that I could not explain it better at the time...4 generations lived in the household. It was Denise's ex-boyfriend who is 36 yrs old.
The DA just announced they will seek the death penalty. The only justice would have been to have kept him locked up in the first place!

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010...eaths_7723888.html?boxes=Homepagebusinessnews
(Now I need to learn how to sleuth in my own hometown to find his background as an SO!)

Try this to start.
http://www.familywatchdog.us/
Wow this is such a horrific story....4 people dead he was not even supposed to be out of jail. So sad

 

[karma-girl]

Try this to start.
http://www.familywatchdog.us/
Wow this is such a horrific story....4 people dead he was not even supposed to be out of jail. So sad

Thanks Songline, I tried a few other sites as well and I am not coming up with anything. Please tell me 'if he was found to be molesting a child' that they would not blanket it under parole violation??? Is something like that even possible? Please tell me he would have to be investigated and charged accordingly for this crime?
I have a friend on the Northampton police force... I know they are not investigating this case and he will not be able to give me details but I am going to ask him about these allegations. If true and this is why he returned seeking revenge, I may just explode!!!

 

[songline]

Thanks Songline, I tried a few other sites as well and I am not coming up with anything. Please tell me 'if he was found to be molesting a child' that they would not blanket it under parole violation??? Is something like that even possible? Please tell me he would have to be investigated and charged accordingly for this crime?
I have a friend on the Northampton police force... I know they are not investigating this case and he will not be able to give me details but I am going to ask him about these allegations. If true and this is why he returned seeking revenge, I may just explode!!!

((((( BIG HUG ))))) I dont know what to tell you I hope one of our legal minds here will tell you.
But he is not coming out again. That I can tell you, he gives any sane person the creeps. How did he get out????:waitasec:
YES We have a legal system, and we do not have justice.
I hope the neighbor who lost her husband is manging OK
I hope all the children are OK.
It may take some time before the energy calms....It is 4 lives he took out...That entire neighborhood must be up in arms.
God bless you all. :angel:

 

[JoeFromLB]

If he's convicted and sentenced to death, the odds are overwhelming that he'll die in prison at the hands of another inmate or simply of old age. Pennsylvania is VERY reluctant to execute anyone. The only prisoners who have been put to death there in recent decades were three men who dropped all their appeals.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10025/1030841-454.stm

 

[karma-girl]

Thank God the DA is calling out the state parole board!!!
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/police/mc-northampton-homicide-folo-20100628,0,2267372.story
Many more stories about this case at the link...

 

[Liz]

karma-girl,

My heart and prayers go out to you and everyone who knows and loves these dear victims. What a heroic thing the neighbor, Steven Zernhelt, did in going over to the house upon hearing the screams. What a senseless tragedy!

 

[songline]

Thank God the DA is calling out the state parole board!!!
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/police/mc-northampton-homicide-folo-20100628,0,2267372.story
Many more stories about this case at the link...

This is more about his former hisory then it is about this case. but it is so clear that this guy should have never been released at all.

SHUDDER!!! CALIFORNIA LET 17,000 inmates lose this year. They need to save money, and keep the revolving door going to spare jobs. it had nothing to do with safety for our citizens. I AM MAD AS HELL.

Just curious why this SOB was let out, and I would not be surprised if it was to keep that revolving door going, and going...it keeps jobs :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

SCARY!!!!!!

 

[songline]

karma-girl Any news on this case? How are the children? How is the neighbor and her kids?
How are you doing?

 

[JoeFromLB]

Michael Ballard to claim insanity in quadruple homicide case

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nor...f/2011/01/michael_ballard_to_claim_insan.html

January 21, 2011

Michael Ballard’s defense attorneys intend to claim he suffered from insanity or mental infirmity when he goes to trial for allegedly murdering four people.

Defense Attorney Michael Corriere filed notice today, and said he plans to use the defense during the guilt or penalty phase of the trial. District Attorney John Morganelli will seek the death penalty if Ballard is convicted of first-degree murder.

...Ballard is being held at the state prison in Frackville, Pa., while awaiting trial, which is currently scheduled for May 9.

 

[JoeFromLB]

Homicide Suspect Allegedly Bragged About Other Killings

http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/26696387/detail.html

February 1, 2011

EASTON, Pa. -- Authorities are looking into whether a man who is already charged with four counts of homicide may have killed two other people.

According to court documents, Michael Ballard bragged to his fellow prison inmates that he killed two other people in the Poconos when he was first paroled, but that police didn't know about those killings.

 

[Filly]

Michael Eric Ballard aged 37 pleaded guilty yesterday in Northampton County Court on four counts of first degree murder. A jury will decide if Ballard should be sentenced to death.

Whoops lost my link I'll find it.


http://articles.mcall.com/2011-04-2...michael-eric-ballard-alvin-marsh-denise-merhi

 

[OkieGranny]

From last month:

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nor...f/2015/10/michael_ballards_execution_del.html

Michael Ballard will not be executed this month, as scheduled, despite having exhausted all his appeal options.

The five-time killer has been granted a temporary reprieve by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf...

Wolf says he's concerned about the fairness of the death penalty. He says the reprieves will remain in effect at least until he reviews a forthcoming report of the Pennsylvania Task Force and Advisory Committee on Capital Punishment and its recommendations are addressed.