Man Accused Of Murdering 14 Year-Old Bensalem Girl 31 Years Ago Arraigned In Bucks County
By John McDevitt
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The man accused of murdering a 14-year-old Bensalem girl 31 years ago was arraigned in Bucks County Saturday morning.
In August of 1984, 14-year-old Barbara Rowan was murdered in Bensalem and her alleged killer, George Shaw, was arrested in Florida earlier this month.
Saturday morning in Morrisville, he was arraigned. It was an emotional day for family members of the victim who were present.
"They were able to be present and finally see after 31 years the individual who committed these horrific crimes in our custody so I know it was an emotional day," says Prosecutor Jennifer Schorn, chief of major crimes for the Bucks County DA's office, "but I think they were very pleased to have that opportunity to see him physically in the custody of the Bensalem Township County Police Department and Bucks County Detectives ."
The judge determined there will be no bail for Shaw.
"Formal charges were read to him and he was preliminary arraigned bail was addressed and the judge determined no bail. So we're just pleased to finally have him physically in our custody because he was living free thinking he got a way with murder for the past 31 years.
The man accused of helping to dispose the body, Robert Sanders, was already in the prison system for an unrelated offense. He cooperated with authorities recently and his information along with physical evidence led to the arrest of Shaw. Sanders was arraigned earlier in the week.
Shaw's preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 6th.
