GUILTY PA - Rebecca Stahl, 37, Hempfield, 18 February 2012

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wannabedetective said:
I have a dumb question. I guess I had always thought that the body would be released to next of kin for burial. It seems obvious that her family made the funeral arrangements. Is it typical for a funeral home to make arrangements with someone other than the spouse? Is there any legal obligation or protocol a funeral must follow when it comes to these types of things. David is still her husband. What if he chose something different. Cremation over burial. Place of burial etc. Just curious. :waitasec:
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I imagine, given the circumstances, the funeral home will allow her father to make the arrangements unless the husband objects. I really can't see him objecting at this point. It wouldn't really surprise me if he did, but he doesn't seem to have the nads to face this situation, much less confront her family over burial arrangements.

But you are right, it typically is the next of kin who receives the body and makes the arrangements. Husband must have declined.
 
wannabedetective said:
I have a dumb question. I guess I had always thought that the body would be released to next of kin for burial. It seems obvious that her family made the funeral arrangements. Is it typical for a funeral home to make arrangements with someone other than the spouse? Is there any legal obligation or protocol a funeral must follow when it comes to these types of things. David is still her husband. What if he chose something different. Cremation over burial. Place of burial etc. Just curious. :waitasec:
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Since they all have but to actually name him the POI, I would think her family would be the next of kin for burial. There is nothing in our paper today about Rebecca except her obituary. Wonder if David is still in the hospital? I looked on our Westmoreland County Prison Website to see if maybe he was sent to jail (thinking maybe he was a suspect and sent him there without it getting to the media yet and he's not there) I know the other day it said they are going to do a mental health evaluation, wonder if they had him commited into Mental health and that is why they are waiting to call him a suspect......
 
chaddylex said:
Since they all have but to actually name him the POI, I would think her family would be the next of kin for burial. There is nothing in our paper today about Rebecca except her obituary. Wonder if David is still in the hospital? I looked on our Westmoreland County Prison Website to see if maybe he was sent to jail (thinking maybe he was a suspect and sent him there without it getting to the media yet and he's not there) I know the other day it said they are going to do a mental health evaluation, wonder if they had him commited into Mental health and that is why they are waiting to call him a suspect......
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I would imagine he is. If he was indeed on 72 hour hold, that would take him to this afternoon. From what I'm reading on another forum, once the 72 hours is up, there has to be someone willing to come fill out all the paperwork and take responsibility. As far as we know, there's no arrest warrant issued yet, so I guess he'd be free to leave if someone comes to get him?
 
Her obituary says she died on Friday. Isn't that the day she was found?
 
In another recent case, Karen Swift's body was released to her family as well. Her husband has not been named a POI, he has not been arrested, and he has not even been named by police as someone they want to talk to about her death. However, Karen was planning on a divorce and had served papers, so her case is a little bit different, but also very similar regarding the release of the body.
 
wannabedetective said:
Yes. That's not unusual to have date of death to be the date the deceased is found.
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When I saw the date of death I thought they used that date because they still aren't absolutely certain if he killed her Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. Maybe even as late as Tuesday morning. They do know however, that she was certainly dead on Friday.

Her poor family.
 
CharlestonGal said:
When I saw the date of death I thought they used that date because they still aren't absolutely certain if he killed her Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. Maybe even as late as Tuesday morning. They do know however, that she was certainly dead on Friday.

Her poor family.
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Exactly. When my BIL died, he was found on a Friday and LE said that he had been dead 24-48 hours, but the still used Friday as date of death because there was no definitive way to determine exactly what day he died.
 
I just wanted to say

:gthanks:

to all the people posting from Pa!! :seeya: and keeping this case updated!!

Now back to .... :lurk:

Oh, does Pennsylvania have similiar "Sunshine" laws as Florida - re releasing information on their case? Just wondering if we'll be hearing any updates from the LE in this case!
 
Niner said:
I just wanted to say

:gthanks:

to all the people posting from Pa!! :seeya: and keeping this case updated!!

Now back to .... :lurk:

Oh, does Pennsylvania have similiar "Sunshine" laws as Florida - re releasing information on their case? Just wondering if we'll be hearing any updates from the LE in this case!
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Pennsylvania has Right to Know laws. There is a website to be able to pull up arrest records. Is that what you are referring to? Westmoreland County in particular even has an inmate website where you can type in the person's name and bring up their inmate info. I know that in other cases the media has been able to acquire copies of the search warrants (ie Alivia Kail case) almost immediately. The warrants in the case are sealed at the moment.
 
passionflower said:
https://twitter.com/#!/WPXI_Courtney

arrested, charged with crimal homecide

crime Feb 18th Sat
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Thank you for updating us.

Saturday is what most of us figured when we learned Becky was going to ask him if she could go to her sister's house that evening and her sister never heard from Becky again.

No one should lose their life because they want to have a life - see their family, visit with friends, go places. Controlling .
 
liltexans said:
Does PA have the death penalty?
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Yes, but they don't actually put people to death, IIRC. I think they've only executed 2 or 3 people in the last 20 years, and I think those people waived their appeals.

Last I heard, PA was one of the states considering repeal of their DP statutes.
 
Zuffy said:
Woo hoo! Now let's just pray he doesn't get off on an insanity plea!
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I doubt it. He was sane enough to wrap and hide the body, then lie about it. Insanity plea isn't going to fly, especially with his history of and previous conviction for assault.
 
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