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Indiana County man charged in homicides also accused of killing a dog, a pony and a goat
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Pennsylvania State Police have added two counts of arson and three counts of animal cruelty to charges against the South Mahoning man accused of slitting the throats of his two young daughters and his estranged wife.
Indiana County District Attorney Patrick Dougherty said that in addition to three counts of criminal homicide, Lewis P. Beatty, 40, has now been charged with setting fire to two houses on Morrow and Pfeiffer roads and shooting and killing a dog, a pony and a goat.
On the morning of June 1, Mr. Dougherty said, Mr. Beatty slit the throat of his 6-year-old daughter at their home on Morrow Road. He went outside, shot the animals and waited to slit the throat of his 11-year-old daughter when she returned home from school, Mr. Dougherty said.
Leaving his two dead daughters at his house, Mr. Beatty went to Marion Center Bank, where his wife worked, Mr. Dougherty said. He followed her to her residence on Pfeiffer Road, Mr. Dougherty said, and slit her throat as well before setting fire to her home.
Finally, Mr. Dougherty said, Mr. Beatty returned to Morrow Road and set a fire, where a neighbor eventually pulled him from the flames.
According to an earlier criminal complaint, Mr. Beatty told his neighbor he had killed the girls.
Mr. Dougherty said a preliminary hearing has been set for Aug. 17.
First Published June 27, 2012 11:59 am
