Stepson of murdered woman found with her stolen car

YOUNGSTOWN — The stepson of a woman found murdered in a West Side home late Tuesday evening was found in her car in Pittsburgh Wednesday.

Lt. Douglas Bobovnyik of the Detective Bureau said James Jarrell, 33, was charged by Pittsburgh police with receiving stolen property after he was found there in a car belonging to Tina Jarrell, 55.

Jarrell was found dead in her home in the 1600 block of Wellington Avenue at about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. Police are saying her death is a homicide but they are not saying how she died.

Her car had been missing and Bobovnyik said officer issued a computer bulletin to departments across to be on the lookout for the car with the added proviso that the car belonged to a person who was recently murdered. Pittsburgh police spotted the car there because of the bulletin and took James Jarrell into custody.

Bobovnyik said he and other detectives went to Pittsburgh to question James Jarrell, but he immediately asked for a lawyer so he could not be questioned.

No charges have been filed against Jarrell yet by city police. He is being held on the receiving stolen property charge by Pittsburgh police.