Sewickley Herald

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Haysvifle Lset Township Leetsdale Osbome Sewickley Sewickley Heights Sewickley Hite
Vol. 86 No. 15©
The Sewickley
Herald
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19 Gateway Press Newspapers
SUBURBAN PITTSBURGH'S LARGEST CIRCULATION
Wednesday, April 12,1989
Inside
Mrs. B.F. Jones dies in Edgeworth
Salut a Paris: c’e'st manifique!
Lisa Lake takes on Lady Panthers
The big decision: editorial smoke
Mario Melodia: our music man
QV High presents Guys and Dolls’
Man held for court in Aleppo dog-slaying case
By Missy Merlo
The man accused of killing a dog in Aleppo now faces a formal arraignment in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on May 24.
Roy Merriman was ordered held for court by District Justice Russo last week after hearing details — sometimes gruesome, graphic accounts — concerning his alleged involvement with the killing of a 14-month-old German shepherd. The dog belonged to Merriman’s step-brother, Charles Thomas, of Ferry Street, Aleppo.
An original theory by Aleppo Police Chief Richard Trapizona . focused on the killing as that of a satanic sacrifice. In fact, a search of Merriman’s home produced common satanic items, pictures and phrases strewn on basement walls.. However, Trapizona said he had reservations about the original speculations after noting the dog was not treated with usual satanic habits and the fact that Merriman had a reputation of disliking the dog.
“Usually, cult ritualists will either cut the animal up or bum it,
but none of that was done to this dog,” he said before the hearing. In court, however, Trapizona admitted a container of gasoline was found on the scene. He said he believes Merriman intended to bum the dog, but did not when his “audience left.”
The “audience” previously in attendance was Thomas’ two sons, Jeffrey, 18, and Scott, 21, and their girlfriends. According to testimony by Jeffrey Thomas, the group went into the woods to consume alcohol late in the evening of March 28. At the time, he said
the dog was “running around,” even though a rope acting as a leash was around her neck. The group departed from the scene by midnight, and left Merriman alone in the woods with the dog.
“He said he shot him in the head three times,” Thomas said, referring to a conversation he had with Merriman around 12:30 a.m. tho-mas also testified Merriman borrowed a pellet gun from the Thomas family the previous day.
Both Thomas brothers were originally charged with cruelty to animais and conspiracy, but had
charges reduced to disorderly conduct after questioning. They both pleaded guilty and were each fined $148.50 and ordered to undergo 18-20 counseling sessions at the Staunton Clinic.
Merriman, who sat motionless and unrepresented by counsel, faCes charges on cruelty to animals and possession of marijuana.
After the hearing, members of the Thomas family said they have been receiving numerous calls offering free dogs. They said one North Hills breeder even offered the family their pick of three German shepherd puppies available.
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