GUILTY PA - Ruth Shirey, 72, retired Professor, murdered in her Indiana home, 20 Feb 2015 *Son arrested*

[ashleypa]

http://www.country1063fm.com/news/Channels/Story.aspx?ID=2169876

https://www.indianagazette.com/mobi...nvestigate-womans-murder-in-borough,50007608/

Ruth Shirey was killed after being robbed and assaulted this morning in her Indiana, PA home. Todd Walters, her 36 year old son, is not being called a suspect at this time, however a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Police believe he is not taking his psych meds. They also believe he stole guns and her car from the residence before fleeing.

Police are also asking for help in locating a vehicle that may have been stolen from the residence, a gold or tan Ford Taurus... If you see this vehicle, please use extreme caution, do not approach the vehicle or the driver, Call 9-1-1 immediately.

This is my first post here at Websleuths! Hope I'm posting in the right forum. Will update as more becomes available.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Welcome ashleypa and thanks for posting!

This is so sad....apparently her son is the perp. The victim has been named in the updated article From your link:

"Indiana Borough Police idenitifed a suspect as 36-year-old Todd Walters, Shirey's son, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. According to police, Shirey was found unconscious in her home and appeared to have been beaten just after 3 a.m. Friday morning. The victim was transported to the Indiana Regional Medical Center following the attack where she later died."

 

[ashleypa]

http://m.wjactv.com/article?id=14965972&categoryid=625&election=&provider=

Todd Walters was arrested near Altoona, PA.

 

[Richrd]

Todd Royce Walters, W/M/36, For Homicide of Mother, Ruth Shirey, W/F/72 - Indiana County

Indiana Borough, and County are in South-Western, PA.

Day 1

Fri., Feb. 20th: We Are Central PA™: http://www.wearecentralpa.com/story...murdering-mother/87826/9XeX5M4nOE-58ffoU7dXyA :

Includes Video

Cause Of Death: Blunt Force Trauma

Manner Of Death: Homicide

Fri., Feb. 20th: WPXI-TV: http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/elderly-woman-beaten-death-invasion-pittsburgh/nkFmh/

Your One-Click, Per Defendant, Source* Of Lower Court:

ChargeS --- No Bail --- MotionS ---

Scheduled Court DateS --- Advancement to Upper Court

*Lower Court Criminal Docket Sheet:

*https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/docketsheets/MDJReport.ashx?docketNumber=MJ-40201-CR-0000081-2015*

Felony-Grade Charges Include:

18 § 2501 §§ A (F1) :: Criminal Homicide

18 § 2702 §§ A1 (F1) :: Aggravated Assault

*"Recent Entries made in the Court Filing Offices may not be
immediately reflected on these Docket Sheets..."

*Pre-Trial Confinement Without Bail, since 2/20/15.

Historically, Most PA Charges Like These Are Closed-Out in Lower, Magisterial District Court,
then Advanced, with a New Docket Number, to Upper Courts of Common Pleas.

{ A when-issued Upper Court Docket Number should resemble: CP-32-CR-0000____-2015 }


Welcome to WebSleuths, AshleyPA.

 

[Richrd]

Todd Walters :: For Homicide of Mother* - 20 Feb 2015

Todd Royce Walters, W/M/36, For Homicide of Mother*,

Ruth Shirey, W/F/72 - Indiana County

Indiana Borough, and County are in South-Western, PA.

Fri., Aug. 14th: WHP-TV :

http://www.local21news.com/template...4f82b7-www.local21news.com.shtml#.Vc37CmeFNO1

Lots More Information at Post # 4:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...on-Indiana-PA-2-20-15&p=11507354#post11507354

 

[OkieGranny]

https://www.indianagazette.com/news...trial-in-retired-professors-slaying,50014309/

Todd Walters, of Indiana, was ordered today to stand trial for the beating death of his mother, retired Indiana University of Pennsylvania professor Ruth Shirey, early last year in their Second Ward home...

Todd Walters remains in Indiana County Jail without bond.

 

[Richrd]

Todd Royce Walters, W/M/36, For Matricide* of Ruth Shirey, W/F/72 - Indiana County

Indiana Borough, and County are in South-Western, PA.


Cause Of Death: Blunt Force Trauma

Manner Of Death: Homicide

Your One-Click Source Of Upper Court:

ChargeS --- No Bail --- MotionS ---

Scheduled Court DateS --- Verdict --- Sentencing -- Appeals -- Payments

Upper Court Criminal Docket Sheet:

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketSheets/CPReport.ashx?docketNumber=CP-32-CR-0000348-2016

Charges:

18 § 2501 §§ A (H1) :: Criminal Homicide

18 § 2702 §§ A1 (F1) :: Aggravated Assault

"Recent Entries made in the Court Filing Offices may not be
immediately reflected on these Docket Sheets..."

Pre-Trial Confinement Without Bail, since 2/20/15.


*Matricide = The Murder of One's Mother

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Walters unlikely to face trial

https://www.indianagazette.com/news/police-courts/walters-unlikely-to-face-trial,26167600/

A mentally ill Indiana man charged in the beating death of his mother has only a faint chance of becoming competent to assist in his defense and has been ordered to undergo treatment at Torrance State Hospital for up to one year in the hope that his condition might improve, an Indiana County judge ruled Friday.

A forensic psychiatrist testified that Todd Royce Walters, 38, has severe paranoid schizophrenia and has believed for two years that his mother, Ruth Shirey, is still alive and taking part in a conspiracy against him.

“He lacks the mental capacity at this time to proceed in this case,” psychiatrist Clarence Watson testified. “Mr. Walters’ prognosis for recovery is very poor.”

President Judge William Martin declined to dismiss the criminal charges in the case but said he would consider defense attorney Leonard Ambrose’s request to divert Walters to a less secure mental health facility and civil, rather than criminal, commitment under the state’s Mental Health Procedures Act.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Evaluation Hearing Ordered for Todd Walters

http://wdadradio.com/evaluation-hearing-ordered-for-todd-walters/

On September 28th, Judge Martin ordered a review hearing of Walters’ involuntary treatment, scheduling it for March 9th of next year. He further ordered the Torrance psychiatric staff to examine Walters and provide the court and Walters’ attorney with a report, specifically on whether or not Walters believes his mother is deceased and whether or not he is competent to stand trial.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Psychiatrists split on Walters' mental status

https://www.indianagazette.com/news/psychiatrists-split-on-walters-mental-status/article_e9a4af92-db57-5f2a-b442-cf591a9c9eec.html

Three psychiatrists were divided Friday in their opinions of whether an Indiana man is mentally fit to stand trial for the beating death of his mother three years ago.

Two suggested that Todd Royce Walters, 39, who has been diagnosed with severe paranoid schizophrenia, not only understands the charges he faces and the workings of the court system but now has the capacity to assist his lawyers in putting up a defense.

A third expert testified in a competency hearing before Judge William Martin that Walters has fashioned his responses in recent mental evaluations to give the appearance that his symptoms have eased and to mask his delusions that his mother has not been dead for three years.

After almost five hours of testimony, Martin closed the hearing and said he would rule later on whether he believes Walters is able to take part in his trial.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Judge rules Walters competent to stand trial

Indiana County President Judge William Martin this week ruled that Walters has been shown competent to take part in his defense. Walters, 39, is accused in the slaying of Ruth Shirey, a retired Indiana University of Pennsylvania professor, on Feb. 20, 2015, in their home on Diamond Avenue.

The judge filed the opinion Monday, more than two months after a series of psychiatrists disagreed over whether Walters could understand the accusations and the consequences he faces. He has sided with Neil Blumberg, an expert commissioned by the district attorney’s office to examine Walters, and Matthew Lang, a forensic psychiatrist on Walters’ treatment team at Torrance State Hospital, who said they found Walters capable of going to court.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Judge William Martin on Wednesday rescheduled the planned start of jury selection from Feb. 18 to March 23. A pre-trial hearing slated only days from now has been delayed until Feb. 27.

Walters trial postponed again, until March

 

[Ann Blyth]

Welcome! Think this might have to go somewhere else, but as I’m a newbie too, I have no idea how! Don’t worry, there are plenty of helpful sleuthers that will put it right!

EBM Ignore this, I think you might be in the right place, I jumped in too quick, before you had finished posting, my bad! Welcome anyway!

 

[JerseyGirl]

Todd Walters entered a guilty plea to a charge of murder in the third degree. Judge William Martin sentenced Walters to 15-40 years in a State Correctional Institution.

https://www.wccsradio.com/2020/03/18/homicide-defendant-todd-walters-scheduled-for-plea-court-today/