Probation officer gives office BJ to boot-camp teen
Jennifer Daugherty Was Tortured & Killed Over Love Triangle Dispute, Says Confession
Monday, March 8, 2010 at 1:24 pm
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When it was all over, they repeatedly stabbed her to death, tied her up in Christmas lights, then dumped her body at a middle school in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
If you believe the mixed confessions from the defendants, it now seems Jennifer died because she was caught in the middle of a love triangle with two of the suspects.
| Ricky Smyrnes admits a sexual encounter with Jennifer left his girlfriend irate |
The three couples who lived at the Greensburg apartment began arguing over the sexual encounter. They finally decided to turn on Jennifer as a group.
When Jennifer visited to spend the evening, Knight admits they beat and tortured at length. He says Smyrnes pressured the other defendants into punching and stabbing Jennifer, who was apparently too confused to defend herself or flee.
At one point, "Ricky asked if she wanted to die," Knight told police. "She said no. He said 'Well, why are you letting us do this?' She didn't know."
| Melvin Knight says the three couples beat Jennifer together after she kept coming on to Smyrnes |
Knight now says he regrets the murder, but it's not exactly remorse. He says if he could rewind that day, he would let Smynres "do his own dirty work." Notice he didn't say he would have intervened to save Jennifer.
And as he testified at a hearing last week, the other defendants could be heard laughing at the defense table.
But at least they're all ratting each other. Smyrnes told detectives that it was Knight who threatened to kill the others if they didn't help him murder Jennifer. He admits to helping Knight dump the body, but only because he was afraid of him.
All six people are charged with homicide, conspiracy, assault and kidnapping.
Also see Jennifer Daugherty, Mentally Disabled, Was Tortured and Murdered by Her 'Friends'Tags: Pennsylvania

