It took three tries to kill Jennifer Daugherty after she was tortured by six roommates in a Greensburg apartment two years ago, an accused accomplice testified Thursday.
Melvin Knight repeatedly plunged a kitchen knife into Daugherty, but she was still alive, Amber Meidinger testified Thursday. Ricky Smyrnes grabbed the knife and slit Daugherty's wrist, Meidinger said.
“Ricky comes out and says the (expletive) still ain't dead,” Meidinger told the Westmoreland County jury who must decide if Smyrnes should be convicted of first-degree murder.
When that did not work, Smyrnes directed Knight to get Christmas lights they used to wrap around Daugherty's neck and choke her, Meidinger said.
She spent nearly five hours on the witness stand as prosecutors seek the death penalty against Smyrnes, 26, formerly of Irwin and McKeesport.
Knight, 23, formerly of Swissvale, was sentenced to death in August.
Meidinger, 23, of Greensburg testified she has no plea deal and faces a possible death sentence if convicted.
The witness, speaking slowly and at times sobbing, said Daugherty's killing came after Smyrnes called “family meetings” of the group.
Smyrnes devised the murder plan and forced Daugherty to write a fake suicide note, Meidinger said.
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