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Boyfriend charged in arson that killed two in Connellsville
Friday, December 17, 1999 By Ernie Hoffman, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Almost a year after a pregnant Connellsville woman and her young daughter died when a fire destroyed their apartment, the woman's boyfriend has been charged with causing the explosion that started the blaze.
Joseph P. Minerd, of Bullskin, Fayette County, was arrested yesterday on a federal arson charge for the Jan. 1 bombing and fire that killed Deana K. Mitts, 24, who was about eight months pregnant, and her daughter, Kayla, 3.
Daniel Boeh, group supervisor of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Pittsburgh, refused to say what kind of bomb Minerd used, or how it was detonated.
Boeh said Minerd was Mitts' boyfriend, but he would not say what the status of their relationship was at the time of the bombing.
When contacted after the arrest, Mitts' father, Earl Mitts of South Connellsville, refused to comment on the case.
Minerd was arrested by ATF agents and state and Connellsville police as he made his way to work at the Elliott Co. plant in Jeannette yesterday morning. He did not resist.
ATF agents escorted Minerd, 45, into a courtroom at U.S. District Court, where U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert C. Mitchell explained his rights.
According to the federal indictment, Minerd "maliciously" destroyed 504 McCormick Ave. in Connellsville, killing two. The U.S. attorney's office has the option to seek the death penalty in the case, but that decision hadn't been made yesterday.
Minerd's attorney, David Shrager, refused to comment on the case. Minerd will be represented by Shrager and Benita Sumey, a Uniontown lawyer.
After the arraignment, Minerd was turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service and taken to the Allegheny County Jail. He will have a detention hearing in federal court Tuesday.
Boeh said a federal grand jury returned the indictment against Minerd on Wednesday, based on evidence gathered by investigators who interviewed up to 100 people in the past 11 months.
Boeh credited the arrest to what he called the persistent and tenancious work of the Connellsville police.
"It involved hundreds of man hours," Connellsville Chief James Bielecki said.
"All the evidence led to Mr. Minerd," Boeh told reporters.
Boeh, however, refused to say what that evidence was or what motive Minerd might have had.
Although the investigation is not complete, Minerd is the only suspect. "All the information that we have is that he acted alone," Boeh said.
Bielecki said Minerd was a longtime resident of the area, but he was not known to police as a troublemaker. Boeh said the suspect had no criminal history that he was aware of.
Boeh said the federal charge filed against Minerd was the same one used to prosecute Timothy McVeigh for the April 19, 1995, bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City.
If tried and convicted of homicide under that law, Boeh said, Minerd would face life in prison or the death penalty.
Bielecki said he did not anticipate filing any state charges against Minerd.
Mitts, 24, a single mother, and her daughter returned to their apartment on McCormick Avenue about 2 p.m. on New Year's Day after celebrating New Year's Eve with her parents and staying overnight at their home in South Connellsville.
An explosion tore through the three-story building about a half-hour later, igniting a fire that trapped Mitts and her daughter on the first floor.
Authorities first believed a natural gas explosion caused the blast, but 3 1/2 months later, the ATF said it was a bombing and an accelerant was used to fuel the fire.
Dr. Phillip Reilly, Fayette County coroner, said Mitts and her daughter died from "blunt force trauma due to the blast and concussion injuries with total body third-degree burns."
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