Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The Emporium man convicted of killing a Brockway couple in 2010 has filed post sentence relief motions. Last month, Steven Rebert was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for killing Wayne and Vicky Shugar. The post sentence relief motions are the first step in the appeal process. Judge John Foradora is expected to rule on the motions in the next couple of weeks. If granted, the appeals hearing would be in the Jefferson County Courthouse. If Foradora denies the request, Rebert would have to appeal to the state Superior Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Steven Rebert will spend the rest of his life in prison instead of being put to death for killing Wayne and Vicky Shugar in their Brockway home in April of 2010. A jury deliberated until about 9 o’clock Friday night and could not come up with a unanimous decision, which is necessary for the death penalty to be imposed. Eight jurors voted for the death sentence; four voted against it. The 46-year-old Emporium man is still a person of interest in the murders of Kevin Smith and Bill Fickel in Western New York. Rebert, at one time, lived near the men. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A jury will start deliberating this afternoon on whether Steven Rebert should get the death penalty or life in prison. On Thursday the jury heard from the 46-year-old Emporium man’s family about his normal childhood. They also heard from the family of Wayne and Vicky Shugar, who Rebert shot to death in their Brockway home in April of 2010. Rebert is also a "person of interest" in two separate, unsolved murders in Western New York. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A jury has found Steven Rebert guilty of killing Wayne and Vicky Shugar in their Brockway home in April of 2010. The 46-year-old Emporium man was also convicted of burglary and theft for stealing rare coins and currency from the Shugars’ home. The penalty phase of the trial starts Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Jeff Burkett is seeking the death penalty. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Closing arguments are underway in trial of an Emporium man charged with killing a couple in their home in April 2010. 46-year-old Steven Rebert is accused of killing Wayne and Vicky Shugar in the Brockway home during a robbery, when he stole rare coins and currency. If Rebert is convicted of first-degree murder, the jury must then decide whether he will get the death penalty or spend the rest of his life in prison. Rebert is also a person of interest in two Western New York murders. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Emporium man accused of killing a Brockway-area couple last year has asked for a new judge in his trial. Steven Rebert says he wants a new judge because John Foradora is from Brockway, where murder victims Wayne and Vicky Shugar owned a flower shop. Foradora said although he lives in Brockway he did not know the Shugars, and will not recuse himself. The Shugars were found shot to death in the basement of their home just south of Brockway in April of last year. Jury selection for Rebert’s trial is scheduled for January 9, 2012.

The trial for accused killer Steven Rebert that was supposed to start today has been postponed, with no new trial date set. The 45-year-old Emporium man is accused in the April 12 murders of Wayne and Vicky Shugar of Brockway. Rebert allegedly broke into the Shugars’ home to steal rare coins and currency and shot the couple during the burglary. Jefferson County District Attorney Jeffrey Burkett is seeking the death penalty. Rebert is also a person of interest in the unsolved murders of Bill Fickel of Genesee County, New York, and Kevin Smith of Orleans County.

A trial date is expected to be set in January for the Emporium man accused of fatally shooting a Brockway couple in April. 45-year-old Steven Rebert is scheduled to be in court on January 5. He is accused of killing Wayne and Vicky Shugar while burglarizing their home. Back in September, Jefferson County District Attorney Jeffery Burkett announced he will seek the death penalty in the case. Rebert is also a person of interest in the unsolved murders of Bill Fickel of Genesee County, New York, and Kevin Smith of Orleans County.

The Jefferson County District Attorney says he will be seeking the death penalty for the Emporium man accused of shooting a Brockway couple earlier this year. Jeff Burkett says he based his decision on aggravating circumstances in the case, specifically that the murders happened during a burglary and robbery. 45-year-old Steven Rebert is accused of shooting Wayne and Vicky Shugar on the weekend of April 12 in their home. He is charged with two counts each of criminal homicide and aggravated assault, one count of burglary, one count of robbery and one count of theft. No trial date has been set.

Homicide charges against an Emporium man have been bound to court following a preliminary hearing today in front of District Judge David Inzana at the Jefferson County Courthouse. 45-year-old Steven Rebert is accused of killing Wayne and Vicky Shugar of Brockway in April after breaking into their home and stealing rare coins and paper currency. A trial date hasn’t been set yet. Rebert is jailed without bail. Rebert is also a person of interest in the unsolved murders of Bill Fickel of Genesee County, New York, and Kevin Smith of Orleans County.

An Emporium man charged with the murder of a Brockway couple is facing a Jefferson County judge today. 45-year-old Steven Rebert is charged with killing Wayne and Vicky Shugar. Their bodies were found in the basement of their home on April 12. Rebert was arrested in New York State on June 12 on unrelated charges, then turned over to Pennsylvania State Police, who charged him with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and burglary. He’s in Jefferson County Jail without bail. Rebert is also a person of interest in the unsolved murders of Bill Fickel of Genesee County, New York, and Kevin Smith of Orleans County.

The preliminary hearing for the Emporium man charged with the murders of Wayne and Vicky Shugar of Brockway has been continued. 45-year-old Steven Rebert was scheduled to be in district court today. He was arrested in New York State on June 12 on unrelated charges, then turned over to Pennsylvania State Police, who charged him with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and burglary. He’s in Jefferson County Jail without bail. The Shugars were found shot to death in the basement of their home on April 12. Rebert is also a person of interest in the unsolved murders of Bill Fickel of Genesee County, New York, and Kevin Smith of Orleans County.

New York State Police are waiting for DNA test results on a cigarette butt to come back to see if they can connect Steven Rebert to murders in Genesee and Orleans counties. Rebert, who had lived in Emporium, is already charged with the April murders of Wayne and Vicky Shugar of Brockway. Pennsylvania police contacted New York police when, during their investigation, they found that Rebert had done Google searches on the unsolved murders of Bill Fickel and Kevin Smith. When reviewing their files, New York police saw that a cigarette butt had been found at one of the crime scenes and they were able to get a DNA sample from it. They say it could take a couple of months to get the test results back. Rebert is scheduled to be in district court Monday for the Shugar murders.

An Emporium man has been charged with killing a Jefferson County couple in their home in April. 45-year-old Steven Rebert is charged with two counts each of criminal homicide and aggravated assault and one count of burglary. James and Vicky Shugar were found shot to death in their home just south of Brockway on April 12. Rebert is jailed without bail. State police and Jefferson County District Attorney Jeff Burkett held a news conference Friday evening to announce Rebert’s arrest. Police say the Shugars' neighbors provided key pieces of evidence that led to Rebert's arrest. One woman reported a suspicious vehicle to them March 3. A man saw a man parked in a car in the area. He wrote down the license number and said the man had a bolt-action rifle with him and knives in his belt. The license number belonged to Rebert's car. Two other residents also saw a car with one person in it parked along the road about 100 yards from the Shugars' home on March 3. Police said Rebert...

State Police and the Jefferson County district attorney are holding a news conference this evening to release information related to the homicide investigation into the deaths of James and Vicky Shugar. They say they’re not releasing any further information until the 6 p.m. news conference. The Shugars’ bodies were found in their home just south of Brockway on April 12. Wayne Shugar died of gunshot wounds to the neck and torso. Vicky Shugar died of a gunshot wound to the torso. Late last week, police executed a search warrant in the 400 block of Broad Street in Emporium. State police in DuBois didn’t release any further information about the search or the warrant.

The investigation into the deaths of a Jefferson County couple has taken police to Emporium. Late last week, police executed a search warrant in the 400 block of Broad Street in Emporium. State police in DuBois didn’t release any further information about the search or the warrant. On April 12, the bodies of Wayne and Vicky Shugar were found in their home in Snyder Township off Route 28, just south of Brockway. Wayne Shugar died of gunshot wounds to the neck and torso. Vicky Shugar died of a gunshot wound to the torso. Wayne Shugar was a retired foreman at Owens-Brockway Glass. Vicky Shugar owned the Flowers & More shop on Main Street in Brockway.