Suspect in slaying found dead in cell

Ronald Machado was charged with the Tuesday killing of Thomas Lorigan, 44, of Jamestown, Pa.

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — Ronald Machado, found dead Saturday evening in his Trumbull County jail cell, was to be tried in Pennsylvania in the stabbing death of a man and severe wounding of a woman over money.

Machado was found hanging in his cell, said Trumbull County Sheriff Thomas Altiere.

Machado, 21, and Krystle Weaver, 20, both of 3957 Bushnell-Campbell Road, Fowler Township, waived extradition Friday before Judge Peter Kontos of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court and were being held in the county jail until Pennsylvania authorities picked them up.

Both were charged with the Tuesday killing of Thomas Lorigan, 44, of Jamestown, Pa., and wounding of Heather Turk at her Clinton Street apartment in Greenville, Pa.

Altiere said that because Machado was in solitary confinement, he was being checked on every 15 minutes. He said Machado was found hanging four minutes after the last check. The sheriff said a bedsheet possibly was used in the hanging.

A paramedic on duty tried to revive him, and he was taken to St. Joseph Health Center. The hospital also tried to revive him, Altiere said. He said the death is being investigated.

Police were called about 12:45 a.m. Tuesday to the Greenville apartment. When they arrived, they found Lorigan in the apartment. He had been stabbed repeatedly.

Turk was found on the kitchen floor, stabbed repeatedly, including through her skull and into her brain.

An affidavit filed with the court said Machado, who used to live with Turk in the apartment, and Weaver were seen by a neighbor loading Weaver’s 1997 red Chevrolet Lumina with personal items about an hour before police were called. The two were not at the apartment when police arrived.

According to the affidavit, he and Weaver went to Turk’s apartment to wait for her to arrive. They called Turk’s cell phone to find out where she was and unscrewed a light bulb to darken the area.

Machado said Weaver stabbed Turk in the head. Machado said Weaver gave him the knife and he stabbed Lorigan in the head, according to the affidavit.