Man held for trial in slaying of former girlfriend
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On the morning of the day Karissa Kunco was found slain on the side of a rural Washington County road, Randol Taylor testified that he got a phone call from his friend Jordan Clemons, the man now charged in her death.
"He said, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. She's dead,' " said Mr. Taylor, who was one of several witnesses who testified during a preliminary hearing Wednesday.
At the conclusion of the hearing, District Judge Joshua Kanalis held Mr. Clemons, 22, for trial in the death of Ms. Kunco, 21 of Baldwin Borough. In addition to criminal homicide, Mr. Clemons faces charges of abuse of corpse, access device fraud, aggravated assault, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and tampering with evidence.
Ms. Kunco, who had filed assault charges against Mr. Clemons and for a protection-from-abuse order in mid-December, had a volatile relationship with the young man that spanned over a couple of years. Her mother, Kathy Kunco, reported her missing on Jan. 11. Because of the couple's history, police immediately began looking for Mr. Clemons.
State police and an officer from Cecil testified that her car, a Toyota Solara convertible, was found crashed into some trees on Gladden Road in Cecil the following morning. Officer Michael Falconer said the car was still running and in drive when he arrived.
State troopers who later examined the car found so much blood in the backseat that it had soaked through the foam cushions. They also found blood-spattered clothing, including panties, a woman's boot and a sweatshirt from Ms. Kunco's alma mater, Pittsburgh Brashear High School.
At the hearing, Mr. Taylor and his girlfriend, Samantha Rush, said Mr. Clemons had been staying with them at their Carrick apartment and took off that night of Jan. 11 with Mr. Taylor's cell phone. They did not hear from him until the next morning, at around 8 a.m., when Mr. Clemons called Ms. Rush's phone and Mr. Taylor picked up.
Mr. Taylor said Mr. Clemons threatened to kill himself.
Mr. Clemons' attorney, Peter Marcoline, cross-examined Mr. Taylor, asking him if the two discussed the fact that Mr. Clemons had threatened to commit suicide and had said "she's dead."
"There was no conversation about that phone call at 8 a.m.?" he asked.
"No, sir," Mr. Taylor replied.
Shortly after Ms. Kunco's car was found, surveyors came upon her body just off of Sabo Road in Mount Pleasant Township. S. Timothy Warco, the Washington County coroner, said she was buried beneath a pile of leaves. Mr. Warco and forensic pathologist Abdulrezak Shakir testified that Ms. Kunco died from having her throat cut.
In a separate hearing, Mr. Clemons was also held for trial on charges of robbery, burglary, theft and simple assault in a case in which police say he broke into a Canonsburg woman's house and robbed her at gunpoint on Jan. 8, just a few days before Ms. Kunco's body was found.
First Published February 2, 2012 12:00 am
