Judge orders 6 defendants held for trial in torture slaying of disabled western Pa. woman

6 held for trial in slaying of disabled Pa. woman

GREENSBURG, Pa. — A trial has been ordered for six people accused of torturing a mentally disabled western Pennsylvania woman by forcing her to drink urine and detergent before stabbing her to death.

A Westmoreland County judge on Thursday ordered all six defendants accused in last month’s slaying of 30-year-old Jennifer Daugherty held for trial on charges including homicide and kidnapping.

Prosecutors say the three men and three women also beat Daugherty, bound her in Christmas lights and forced her write a suicide note before stabbing her to death and dumping her body in a school parking lot last month in Greensburg, about 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh.

Daugherty’s stepfather says she had the mental abilities of a 12- to 14-year-old. Her body was found Feb. 11.