Police descend on home of state Sen. Robert Regola (R)

[maxrandb]

Investigating the death of 14 year old neighbor.

"State police, armed with a search warrant, descended on the Hempfield Township home of state Sen. Robert Regola Wednesday morning as part of their continuing investigation into the death of his 14-year-old neighbor.
Investigators and crime scene technicians from Troop A in Greensburg arrived at the Regola home in a convoy of seven state police cars and a forensics van. They entered the Glenmeade Road home through the garage after Regola's sister, Brenda Depetris, arrived about 10 a.m. to let the troopers inside.

Depetris appeared stunned by the warrant and quickly retreated into the house."

Things that make you go Hmmmmm. I'm sure the MSM will be all over this, just like Gary Condit.

[MissWaverly]

1. are you talking about western Pennsylvania by any chance?

I grew up near a Hempsfield township and Greensburg back in Pa.

[bleedingheart]

5. there are a lot of us on DU from that area...

I am from Irwin...

[MissWaverly]

10. So am I, I graduated from Norwin in 1971

[bleedingheart]

13. I too am a Norwin grad

class of '87

[MissWaverly]

16. Well, at least some institutions still go on

another Norwin "knight" to tilt at windmills, Irwin was not very progressive when I lived there,
it went heavily for George Wallace. I believe he ran for president before he was shot while
campaigning in Maryland.

[PA Democrat]

25. Norwin '76

:hi:

[PittPoliSci]

29. Norwin '02.

Yeah I'm young-ish. :hi:

[hootinholler]

23. Yep there are a few of us ex-pat SW Pa'ians on here...

Ligonier, here.

-Hoot

[MissWaverly]

24. Hello, Hoot!

Ligonier, beautiful country up there. What was on the license plate, you've got a friend
in Pennsylvania!

[hootinholler]

33. I s'pose I wasn't clear

I'm in Md near Fredneck these days, was raised in Ligonier. Family goes back to F&I war days there, it will always be home to me.

-Hoot

[maxrandb]

14. Yeah, It's PA

A DUer below makes a good point. This guy ran on a typical Repuke "law and order, endorsed by the NRA" platform (and you know that was designed to paint Dems as "soft on crime"), and yet...HE'S REFUSING TO COOPERATE WITH THE POLICE.

Since it was a story about a hypocrytical Republican, I was reluctant to post it in "breaking" news, but I thought it was interesting.

You know, but off topic, if it weren't for DU, this would never make it out of his small hometown. We need to ensure it gets some national attention.

[MissWaverly]

20. just a suggestion

Why don't you try sending the story to the
TPM muckrackers they have a site called grand old docket; it highlights national scandals of government officials they have Claude Allen for stealing at Target on it but I think you have to be indicted first.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/grandolddocket.php

[maddezmom]

2. maxrandb...please provide a link

thanks :)

[bleedingheart]

7. here is a link

it is all over the news here in W Pa

http://www.wpxi.com/news/9653459/detail.html

[patricia92243]

3. Do you have a link or more detail. I have not heard about this. Thanks

[bleedingheart]

6. it is just breaking...here is a link

http://www.wpxi.com/news/9653459/detail.html

[rodeodance]

18. stories from your link. thanks

Police used a search warrant in their investigation of the death of 14-year-old Louis Farrell.

Farrell was found dead in the woods behind his family’s home in July.

Officials said Farrell died of a single gunshot would to the head.

Police said the gun used to kill Farrell belonged to Regola.

The teen had access to the Regola’s home to watch the dog while the senator and his family were out of town.

At a press briefing last month police said they were looking at a number of possibilities into what happened.

Previous Stories:

* July 25, 2006: Gun Used To Kill Teen Belonged To Senator
* July 25, 2006: Teen's Body Found Behind Home

Copyright 2006 by Wpxi.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[rodeodance]

19. July 25, 2006: Gun Used To Kill Teen Belonged To Senator

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bleedingheart]

8. Regola and his son have two separate criminal defense attorneys

and they have stopped cooperating with police.

I say it is time for Western PA voters to call this state senator and voice their displeasure with his stance.

he ran on his law and order, pro gun platform...now he won't talk to the police...

here is his link..

http://www.senatorregola.com/

[Divernan]

9. State police from "Troop A in Greensburg"

First of all, if it weren't for the fact that we have a Dem Governor in PA, I doubt there would be much of an investigation of a Republican state senator. Secondly, PA State Police "investigators and crime scene technicians" from a regional barracks are not likely to have much training, and even less experience. Somebody took a course at the FBI Academy 5 years ago, most likely.

What they are really expert at is hiding around blind turns in the Turnpike and selectively arresting speeders. The speed limits on the PA Turnpike frequently switch from 65 to 55 mph with few signs and no logic. I used to drive the Turnpike about 16 hours a week, and I noticed a tendency on the part of the PA Staties to stop people with old cars, cars from out of state, young guys, and particularly people guilty of DWB. I know from my connections at the state capitol that the state police are unofficially given arrest quotas, although they vehemently deny it. A lot of us drivers on the Turnpike will flash our lights at oncoming traffic to warn them of the speed trap they're approaching.

They also have a few favorite spots where 2 or 3 of them will park their cars together and talk up a storm while ignoring all passing traffic.

Rant over.

[MissWaverly]

11. not to mention the coroner

my mother used to work at Jeannette District Memorial in the ER and the coroner who was
an elected official would ask the doctors what the cause of death was. It was not exactly
the standard of the CSI programs.

[Divernan]

30. In PA, the coroners don't have to be doctors, or ANY profession at all.

nt

[RamboLiberal]

12. Tidbits from Pittsburgh Post Gazette

State police arrived about 10 a.m. at the Regola home on Glenmeade Road. Information about what was being sought or what had been taken from the house was unavailable this morning.

Mark Rush, who is representing Sen. Regola, said the family was not home this morning and a relative had to be contacted to let police in. He said he had no idea what investigators were searching for.

"I'm anxious to see what's in the probable cause because I don't know what they have, I don't know where it's going," said defense attorney Duke George, who is representing the senator's son, Robert Regola IV.

Mr. George said relations between his client and the state police have turned adversarial of late.

Sen. Regola had left Louis Farrell in charge of the Regolas' dogs while he was in Harrisburg. Robert Regola IV, the senator's eldest son, had remained in Hempfield, but was away from home until around 10:30 p.m. the day before

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06221/712216-100.stm

From WTAE-CH4
The trooper also told the Trib that police have asked to interview Regola's 16-year-old son, Robert, but that request has been denied.

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/9653316/detail.html

My radar went up when they said the senator's kid was home about the time of death. The Farrell kid probably wouldn't know the location of the gun, but Regola's kid Robert would. I'm wondering if these two kids were horsing around with the gun and the Ferrell kid was accidentally killed with the Regola kid trying to cover it up. Or if it could even be murder.

[rocktivity]

27. DING DING DING! RamboLiberal, you're our grand prize winner!

My radar went up when they said the senator's kid was home about the time of death. The Farrell kid probably wouldn't know the location of the gun, but Regola's kid Robert would...

That's the first question I asked when the story broke a few weeks back: The parents have an alibi, but does the son? The forensics on the nature of the gunshot wound must be in. It could very well have been an accident, but if it happened in the woods, why search the house? Is there reason to believe that the body placed there?

:shrug:
rocknation

[RamboLiberal]

28. Police removed computer and safe from Regola's home

Pennsylvania State Police criminal investigators removed a computer and a safe today from the home of state Sen. Bob Regola in Hempfield, as part of the investigation of the death of a 14-year-old neighbor shot with Regola's gun.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06221/712216-100.stm

I think the cops are on to something. Wonder if the gun was originally in the safe - which would really be indicting on the Regola kid.

[Divernan]

31. Looking for the son's clothes/shoes for gunpowder residue or dirt to

match location where body was found. That's what they'd do on Law and Order - but that may be too high a standard for the Greensburg Barracks.

[caligirl]

15. I've been wondering if the guy is a repub. and he is. another one

of many repubs with serious issues, guns, gays etc etc.

[MissWaverly]

17. how about tough on crime but will not cooperate with the police

crime only applies to the other guy esp. if there's a (D) after his name.

[caligirl]

21. Maybe Casey could use that idea in an ad . Good one.

[MissWaverly]

22. Thanks there many a pug that could apply to

Look at Tom Delay!

[PA Democrat]

26. Mr. Family Values Bob Regola was an outspoken opponent of gay marriage

and has been pushing for a constitutional ban.

Shame he didn't spend less time snooping into what goes on in other people's bedrooms and more time paying attention what was going on in his own home.

The word in the community is that it was common knowledge among the neighborhood kids exactly where Mr. Family Values stored that 9 mm gun and that it was passed around among the kids on the neighborhood like it was a toy.



Mr. Family Values Regola on gay marriage:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06160/696885-85.stm

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

32. Hmmm. The movie, "Heathers" comes to mind: "I love my dead gay son. "

Not saying there's anything with Mr. Family values kid and this other kid...but that line from the movie Heathers popped into my head immediately.:shrug:

[RamboLiberal]

34. More Info on Case from Post Gazette and Tribune Review

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06222/712485-59.stm

Mr. George said the younger Regola spent the day at Idlewild amusement park with his girlfriend.

On the night of July 22, the same day that Louis' body was found, state police obtained a search warrant for a family computer at the Regola residence. According to an affidavit in support of that search warrant, Robert Regola IV had spoken with Louis by phone around 11:30 p.m. the night before.

The search warrant affidavit also stated that an unidentified female acquaintance of both Louis and the younger Regola communicated with Robert Regola IV by AOL instant messaging about Louis' death. It is unclear whether that information is pertinent to the investigation.

The search warrant application noted as possible crimes being investigated the possession of a firearm by a minor and reckless endangerment.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/westmoreland/s_465455.html

A convoy of state police cars and a van carrying investigators and crime scene technicians arrived at Regola's home in Hempfield, Westmoreland County, about 10 a.m. yesterday and searched for more than two hours.

Troopers removed a computer and a safe and placed them in a van from the forensic investigation unit. Investigators also unfurled a large, blue tarp inside the garage and took it inside the house during the search to collect evidence.

Investigators were looking for evidence that will explain the circumstances of the death of Louis A.J. Farrell. Farrell's father, Douglas Farrell, found him dead of a gunshot wound the morning of July 22 in a wooded area behind his home, which is adjacent to Regola's house.