Donachy Found Guilty
A jury has found 36-year-old Lawrence Donachy Jr. guilty of 2nd degree murder, rape, burglary and aggravated assault in connection to the 1999 killing of Irene Challingsworth in her St. Marys home.
Posts
No Verdict Yet in Donachy Trial
Jurors in the case of a man accused of raping and murdering a St. Marys hairdresser have ended their first full day of deliberations without a verdict. Jurors got the case in the Lawrence Donachy trial at about noon on Tuesday and deliberated for about 5 ½ hours before the judge sent them back to their hotel. They returned to the courthouse at 9 o’clock this morning and deliberated until just before 6 o’clock. Donachy is charged with raping and murdering Irene Challingsworth in her home after breaking in to steal a lottery ticket in 1999. Police charged Donachy nearly 10 years after the murder when DNA evidence at the scene was linked to him. Jurors will continue their deliberations at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Jury Continues Deliberations in Elk Co.
The jury in the case of a man accused of raping and murdering a St. Marys hairdresser in 1999 continued its deliberations this morning. Closing arguments in the murder trial of Lawrence Donachy wrapped up Tuesday morning, followed by more than five hours of deliberation. A judge sent the jury back to its hotel at around 5 p.m. on Tuesday. They returned to the courthouse to continue deliberations at 9 o’clock this morning. The jury was brought in from Butler County due to pre-trial publicity. Donachy is charged with raping and murdering Irene Challingsworth in her home after breaking in to steal a lottery ticket. Police charged Donachy nearly ten years after Challingsworth was killed when scientists linked DNA evidence at the scene to him. A state police expert testified the odds were 720 trillion to one that the DNA found that the scene belonged to anyone but Donachy. Pictured, Irene Challingsworth
Donachy's Fate in Jury's Hands
The fate of a St. Marys man accused of raping and murdering a hairdresser in 1999 is now in the hands of a jury. Closing arguments in the murder trial of Lawrence Donachy wrapped up this morning, and the jury got the case at around noon. Donachy is also accused of setting Irene Challingsworth’s bed on fire when he broke into her home to steal a lottery ticket. Police charged Donachy nearly 10 years after the murder when DNA evidence at the scene was linked to him. A state police expert testified the odds were 720 trillion to one that the DNA found at the scene belonged to anyone but Donachy.
Donachy Arraigned in Elk County
The man accused of killing Irene Challingsworth nine years ago has been arraigned in Elk County Court. 33-year-old Larry Donachy is charged with criminal homicide, rape and burglary among other crimes in connection with Challingsworth's death in April of 1999. He is accused of restraining Challingsworth, then raping her and killing her. He is currently in state prison on unrelated charges. Challingsworth's death remained an open case until DNA from the crime scene was matched to a state prison inmate database earlier this year.