Trial Underway For Woman Accused In Connection With Elderly Woman's Death
WASHINGTON, Pa. (KDKA) -- Testimony is underway in the trial of a Washington County woman who is accused of conspiring with her husband and stepson in the death of their 92-year-old neighbor.
Diane McClelland is on trial facing charges including conspiracy to commit criminal homicide and conspiracy to commit burglary.
But Tuesday afternoon she and her lawyer told the judge she would not contest the charge of receiving stolen property.
Her husband, David A. McClelland, pleaded guilty to stabbing and killing 92-year-old Evelyn Stepko in 2011, in a plot to steal thousands of dollars the she kept scattered through her Coal Center, Washington County home.
When KDKA-TV's Harold Hayes interviewed him as a neighbor back in July of 2011, he said he was shocked at her murder.
"They need to ...they need to catch the person who did this," McClelland said then.
A few days later police arrested him.
But the question now is how much did Diane McClelland know and when did she know it? In order to build the case against her, prosecutors are laying out the case against her husband and her stepson, David J. McClelland, a former part-time policeman awaiting trial.
Tuesday the jury heard that a fingerprint found on a glove at the scene linked David A. McClelland to the murder and that Stepko died of stab wounds to the neck and blunt force trauma to the chest.
California Police Chief Rick Encapera testified the victim suspected the older McClelland was stealing from her.
"At that particular time she expressed that it was her grass cutter...Mr. McClelland would have been her grass cutter," said Encapera.
Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.
RELATED LINKS:
Woman Charged In Connection To Elderly Woman's Death To Stand Trial (8/31/11)
Death Penalty Sought For 1 Suspect In Elderly Woman's Death (10/18/11)
Other Reports on Evelyn Stepko's Death
More Washington County News
