The Keeffes Murdered in Their Home (Pennsylvania)

[LurkerXIV]

Documents shed light on Pa. homicide investigation
By Larry Wilson
LACEYVILLE, Pa. -- Three members of a Laceyville family were killed execution-style Wednesday by their 31-year-old son and brother, state police at Towanda said today.

Police arrested Steven Carl Colegrove of Deposit early today on three counts of criminal homicide.

They said his possible motive was to inherit money and property.

The victims -- Joseph Colegrove, 60, Marlene Colegrove, 56, and Michael Colegrove, 36 -- were found dead about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at their home on Kirk Road in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County. Police said they believe Steven Colegrove killed them sometime before 7 a.m. that day.

He was arraigned before District Justice Fred Wheaton in Wysox today and sent to the Bradford County Correctional Facility. Colegrove sat calmly during the arraignment and did not speak. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Wednesday.

In a 22-page criminal complaint, troopers George Confer and James Kerrick said Steven Colegrove shot his father and brother as they slept and killed his mother as she tried to leave her bedroom. All three were shot in the head and face with 3-inch magnum cartridges from a 12-gauge shotgun, police said.

Marlene Colegrove was also shot in the hand. Police said she apparently put her hand in front of her face or attempted to grab the gun.

State police said they recovered a letter from the Colegroves' gun safe that said when the couple died, their son Robert was to get only $1.

"Steven Colegrove would be the only child to receive benefits from ... the death of his parents and his brother Michael Colegrove," the troopers said.

On Friday morning, during a press conference at the Bradford County Courthouse, investigators said the surviving family members were cooperating with police and were not suspects in the killings.

The scene police found in the home had the appearances of a robbery gone bad, according to information contained in the criminal complaint.

The complaint said two doors were found unlocked at the Colegrove home and a third was locked. In one of the unlocked doors, the lower right glass pane had been smashed from the outside. The inside of the double-pane window remained intact, however.

Wires leading from the phone box on the exterior of the house were cut.

Also, Marlene Colegrove's wallet was sitting on top of her purse, according to the complaint.

"This appeared to have been done to create the appearance of forced entry or robbery/burglary," the complaint stated.

http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pb...WS01/708110356

[JC]

So I don't guess this had anything to do with the Keeffes. And it reminds me of the 1973 Cass County, Texas, Butts triple homicide. The man was charged and indicted by a grand jury, but never tried and walks free to this very day.

From an old Journal article, (Charles E.) White is charged with the mass slaying of his estranged wife, Iris, 33, her father, Odis Butts, 65, and her mother, Minnie Butts, 60, in the Butts home on the Knight’s Bluff Road near Atlanta last weekend.

All of them were shot to death.

[koldkase]

Wow, JC, are you saying there was ANOTHER BUTTS FAMILY MURDERED in Cass County? And THAT'S been unsolved, as well? Or am I totally confused?

[JC]

Originally Posted by koldkase

Wow, JC, are you saying there was ANOTHER BUTTS FAMILY MURDERED in Cass County? And THAT'S been unsolved, as well? Or am I totally confused?

Yes, you aren't confused. :-)

http://www.forumsforjustice.org/foru...ead.php?t=8550

And it was solved, just never prosecuted.

[JC]

I doubt Steven Carl Colegrove will get away with a triple homicide like Charles White did.

[koldkase]

Why isn't someone investigating this DA Birmingham? He seems to have been either completely incompetent or corrupt to the bone.

[JC]

Originally Posted by koldkase

Why isn't someone investigating this DA Birmingham? He seems to have been either completely incompetent or corrupt to the bone.

I don't know; maybe someone is, but Birmingham will most likely pass on before anything could be done to him.

[koldkase]

Originally Posted by JC

I don't know; maybe someone is, but Birmingham will most likely pass on before anything could be done to him.

I doubt anyone is investigating him, because it's like any other self-policing profession in this country: they won't go after one of their own. Too bad. Wonder how many people suffered for how long at the hands of criminals while Birmingham looked the other way.

[JC]

Originally Posted by koldkase

I doubt anyone is investigating him, because it's like any other self-policing profession in this country: they won't go after one of their own. Too bad. Wonder how many people suffered for how long at the hands of criminals while Birmingham looked the other way.

TOO MANY. I've thought for a long time Birmingham should be investigated.

But, I wonder if some family member killed the Keeffes.

[LurkerXIV]

The Keeffes, like the Colgroves, were such upstanding people.

But who knows, whenever a large inheritance is at stake?

[JC]

Almost a year. Mercy, how time flies!

[LurkerXIV]

I was just thinking about this case. I was on my way to Thanksgiving dinner at my granddaughter's house last year when I heard news of this double murder on the car radio. I was shocked, because it's such a nice safe area where they lived.

Almost a year! It looks like the trail has gone cold, and someone has gotten away with a double homicide.