Homicide, kidnapping trial starts in New Castle

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — It’s been just more than six years since Wendy Miller and three of her children disappeared from their New Castle home.

Come Monday, the man police believe responsible will go on trial for his life in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

District Attorney John Bongivengo said he expects jury selection and the testimony to take three weeks in the homicide and kidnapping charges against Dennis Reed, 37, formerly of New Castle.

Miller, 28, was found dead Dec. 23, 2001, off Neshannock Boulevard Extension, partially hidden by leaves and a rear seat of a car. An autopsy revealed that she was killed by a single gunshot wound to the back of her head.

Three of her four children, then ages 5, 6 and 8, were found in Butler, Pa., with Reed, who was arrested by police when they discovered him driving Miller’s vehicle. Miller’s fourth child was staying with a relative when she and the other children disappeared.

Butler police found cocaine and a loaded semiautomatic firearm on Reed when he was stopped. He was later charged with drug and weapon charges in Butler and has been serving a three- to 10-year state prison sentence on those charges.

Reed’s Lawrence County homicide trial has been on hold for the last six years because he argued through attorneys that a trial in Lawrence County on the homicide and kidnapping charges would constitute double jeopardy because he already had been convicted in Butler County.

The Pennsylvania State Supreme Court, however, disagreed and sent the matter back to Lawrence County last spring, Bongivengo said.

For more, check out Sunday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com