PA PA - Katherine Dolan Heckel, 40, Lock Haven, 15 July 1991 *GUILTY*

[JerseyGirl]

still missing: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/04/missing_persons_midstate_pa_be.html#6

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Defense seeks suppression of more evidence in 1991 Clinton Court murder case

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/03/defense_seeks_suppression_of_m.html

The defense is seeking to suppress more evidence in a 1991 Clinton County murder case.

The latest motion filed in Clinton County court on behalf of Loyd Groves contends the search of his desk at the former International Paper Co. mill was improper because it took place without his consent or a warrant.

A loaded .25-caliber handgun was among the items found in the desk, court documents state.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Judge: No rights violated in office, van search

http://www.lockhaven.com/page/content.detail/id/589611/Judge--No-rights-violated-in-office--van-search.html?nav=5009

After a lengthy examination of arguments for and against, a presiding Clinton County judge has concluded that no rights were violated, and evidence will be allowed in the case against Loyd W. Groves, charged just last year for the murder of Katherine Dolan Heckel some 25 years ago.

In pre-trial motions and oral arguments, the attorneys for Groves focused on ammunition found in the defendant's van and a handgun found in his desk at International Paper Co. in Lock Haven all of those years ago.

Clinton County Senior Judge Carson V. Brown issued the ruling this week, dismissing both pre-trial motions while leaving the door open to an appeal to a higher court.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Kathy Heckel disappeared 25 years ago today

http://www.lockhaven.com/page/content.detail/id/590192/Kathy-Heckel-disappeared-25-years-ago-today.html?nav=5009

Katherine Dolan Heckel disappeared 25 years ago today, after leaving the International Paper mill at about noon on July 15, 1991.

Since then, state and local police, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies have actively worked on that riddle of disappearance for two and a half decades.

That work continues, but has now reached another level and another group of officials since the arrest of Loyd Groves on Jan. 29, 2015.

Groves, 65, a former local man who was living near Pittsburgh, was formally charged with killing Heckel and remains without bail in the Clinton County Correctional Facility awaiting trial.

Appeal filed in Heckel murder case

http://www.lockhaven.com/page/content.detail/id/590251/Appeal-filed--in-Heckel-murder-case.html?nav=5009

Defense attorneys for Loyd W. Groves, charged more than 18 months ago in the murder of Katherine Dolan Heckel in 1991, are appealing a local court decision regarding key evidence in the case.

Lock Haven attorney David Lindsay filed a motion in Clinton County court on Thursday, appealing Judge Carson V. Brown's conclusion that no rights were violated when police obtained evidence Groves' van and when a handgun was found in his office desk at the former International Paper Co. plant.

Judge Brown issued his ruling on June 27, dismissing both pre-trial motions to suppress the evidence while leaving the door open to an appeal to a higher court.

The motions will now be heard by the Pennsylvania Superior Court.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Groves murder trial may wait until next year

http://www.lockhaven.com/page/content.detail/id/590773/Groves-murder-trial-may-wait-until-next-year.html?nav=5009

A tentative trial date had been picked for September, about a year after the original date for jury selection. That jury selection had not yet taken place. Pre-trial motions have postponed the trial, and now it may be delayed until 2017.

The defense attorneys in the case held that the searches were illegal and anything found should be excluded from the trial. Clinton County Retired Judge Carson V. Brown heard those arguments and ruled against them one month ago, stating the searches did not violate Groves's rights.

The attorneys then appealed to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, which may decide to hear their motions to suppress the evidence.

On Wednesday, in a brief hearing about potential trial dates, Brown said he would officially sign a stay of proceeding so the trial will not take place until the Superior Court has dealt with the appeal.

Defense attorney David Lindsay began Wednesday's hearing by saying the county court had chosen September for the trial without asking the attorneys involved. September would be pushing it for both sides of the case, he said.

 

[Richrd]

Loyd Groves for Heinous Homicide+ :: Clinton County - 15 Jul 1991

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/03/jury_selection_date_set_in_25-.html#incart_river_home

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketSheets/CPReport.ashx?docketNumber=CP-18-CR-0000173-2015

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Loyd Groves trial delayed

http://www.lockhaven.com/news/local-news/2017/10/loyd-groves-trial-delayed/

Defense attorney David Lindsay made the request, telling the court that Groves suffered a heart attack on Oct. 10 and underwent open heart bypass surgery several days later.....Groves trial was scheduled for jury selection on Nov. 13, but Lindsay said his client is in no way physically capable of attending either the trial — sitting in a courtroom for eight to 10 hours a day for two weeks — or a Nov. 3 hearing to review in-camera dog tracking evidence.

Judge Brown said this is a valid reason to continue the case and he understands why the defendant would not be able to be present for the Nov. 13 trial.

As far as when the trial might be held, Lindsay said he had no recuperation time table and suggested a meeting in a month or so to evaluate Groves recovery and see if the trial can be rescheduled at that time.

Judge Brown set that meeting for 10:30 a.m. Nov. 17.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

With accused recovering from heart surgery, trial date set in 26-year-old murder case

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/11/new_trial_date_set_in_26-year-.html

Loyd W. Groves, whose surgery was Oct. 10, attended Friday's status conference with visiting Lycoming County Senior Judge Kenneth D. Brown when jury selection was set for next June 18. Testimony is scheduled to begin June 25.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Monday.

Groves Murder Trial Set for Later This Month

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

New evidence delays trial in 1991 murder case in which body has never been found

The defense Monday requested a continuance for the homicide trial of Loyd Groves, 68, because it has not had time to investigate evidence it just received from the prosecution.

It was revealed for the first time that Groves' former wife, Katherine, spoke with police. The contents of that interview were not disclosed.

Court Administrator Donald Powers said a mid-November is being considered as a new date for jury selection.

 

[JerseyGirl]

A witness for the prosecution will be testifying next Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in open court and the witness’s testimony will be taped for use at the actual trial.

Lock Haven murder trial delayed as ex-wife goes to police | News, Sports, Jobs - Williamsport Sun-Gazette

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

'I've been very patient': Mother of woman who disappeared in 1991 eager for trial

The mother of the Clinton County woman last seen 27 years ago says she is pleased prosecution of a suspect in her daughter's murder is finally happening.

"I've been very patient," Margaret Dolan said Tuesday after the deposition of a prosecution witness in the trial of Loyd Groves.

Jean Carter, also a secretary, testified she followed Heckel from the mill into a parking lot about noon that day and saw Groves sitting in the driver's seat of his van.

She started to wave but noticed Groves' face was red and he looked only at Heckel, she said. He appeared angry, she said.

That date sticks in her mind because it was the last time she saw Heckel, she testified.

Lycoming County Senior Judge Kenneth D. Brown has set Nov. 13 for jury selection that is expected to take most if not all week. Opening statements will follow.

 

[folieadeuxnola]

Possible new evidence leads to more searches in woman’s disappearance nearly 30 years ago | News, Sports, Jobs - The Express

As the team — which included prosecutor and Senior Deputy Attorney General Daniel J. Dye, FBI Special Agent Kyle Moore, State Police Cpl. Curtis Confer, state police Trooper Christopher Soo, FBI Task Force Officer Matt LaForme and Hutson– arrived at the 15-acre property along German Road, it was apparent they were looking for something specific.

Dye addressed reporters immediately and told them the only thing he would say was, “We continue to follow up on each and every lead and will leave no stone unturned.”

Asked if it was a “recent lead” they were following up on, Dye said, “no comment.”

Prodded further and asked if it was a lead given to police by Katherine Grove when she talked with police recently, he again replied, “no comment.”

After talking among themselves for 15 or 20 minutes, Dye and Moore began walking up a hill and through the field behind the family home.

As they reached the top of the field, the area became wooded, but a make-shift road provided a pathway. The two continued to walk, eventually turning off the road and walking down over a slight embankment, kneeling down at times and looking on the ground among the trees and shrubs in one specific area.

It appeared Moore was sifting through a dark-colored piece of material on the ground in the area which was darkened by foliage. He took many photographs of the area.

 

[JerseyGirl]

A judge has cleared the way for jury selection to begin Tuesday in a homicide trial in the disappearance a quarter-century ago of a central Pennsylvania woman whose body has never been found.

Murder trial to start despite lack of victim's body

 

[iulia]

Jury Selection in Clinton County Cold-Case Murder Trial

Jury selection is expected to continue until the end of the week. The murder trial is scheduled to begin next Monday,

 

[JerseyGirl]

Jury seated in homicide trial | News, Sports, Jobs - The Express

 

[JerseyGirl]

Homicide trial slated in 1991 disappearance of woman

 

[JerseyGirl]

On Monday, the Clinton County courthouse was packed as opening statements began. Several people took the stand, today, including Heckel's mother, husband, daughter, and son.

The trial is expected to last through December.

Cold Case Trial Begins in Clinton County

 

[JerseyGirl]

Heckel's body was never found. This trial is expected to last between two and three weeks.

1991 Cold-Case Homicide Trial Begins

 

[Al Ka]

LOCK HAVEN — Did Kathy Heckel cash a $1,500 check the afternoon she went missing?

Was there a reason that, although she and her former husband had a combined income of approximately $72,000, they would struggle financially?

Defense Attorney George E. Lepley Jr. was focused on finances during his cross examination of John Heckel III Monday afternoon.
---
Lepley focused on the time frame of 1987 to 1991, before Kathy went missing, having Heckel read a part of the report.

“It was determined that monies had been withdrawn but not deposited … best estimate is between 1987 to July 1991. Forty to 60 thousand dollars were withdrawn, not deposited,” Heckel read.

Kathy was in charge of the family’s finances due to Heckel’s constant absences due to his career, Heckel said.

“From 1987 to July 1991, when your wife didn’t come home, the best estimate between yourself and state police is that there may have been between $40,000 to $60,000 withdrawn from the account,” Lepley said.
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The financial line of questioning seemed to take a turn when Lepley asked about a drug search Heckel had requested on his home before Kathy’s disappearance.

Isn’t it true that you became involved in a search of the house thinking that she was involved in drugs, Lepley said.

“So you did suspect your wife (could have been involved in drug activity),” he asked.

“That’s correct,” Heckel answered.
---
“At the request of the victim’s husband … the narcotics canine was sent to the home,” he read.

He further read that he had been concerned about missing money and possible drug activity in his home.
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The report stated that, although Kathy had been promoted from data processor to administrative assistant and finally to a plant controller by 1986, the Heckels’ credit had begun to deteriorate.
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“Is it true that there were multiple occasions where she (Kathy) would disappear and not come home at night so you’d have to look for her… sometimes you’d be out very late looking for her,” Lepley asked.

“Yes,” Heckel answered.

But he had only had to search late into the night once, he said.
---
During his questioning, Dye showed Heckel a photo of the van Groves was driving during the time of Kathy’s disappearance.

Heckel confirmed that he knew the vehicle and even borrowed it to take his family to Vermont on a ski trip.

Missing money adds to mystery | News, Sports, Jobs - The Express