WAYNESBURG, Pa. — A hearing to determine whether two Pennsylvania residents charged in connection to a triple homicide in Wetzel County will be sent back to West Virginia is set for this week.
Samuel Lee Spencer, 25, and his girlfriend Natasha Lynn Burns, 26 — both of Wind Ridge,Pennsylvania — are scheduled to appear before a judge on Monday for their extradition hearing.
The two are charged in the January 14 deaths of Michael, 63, and Carmen McDougal, 55, of Littleton, and Jimmy Kisner, 49, of Aleppo, Pennsylvania.
Originally, it was thought the three were murdered in a fire which burned the McDougal’s house down, but the autopsy results determined they were stabbed before the home was set ablaze.
Spencer and Burns were arrested last week by the Pennsylvania State Police following months of investigation conducted by West Virginia State Troopers which included interviews, the viewing of video surveillance and the examination of physical evidence. A key piece of evidence in the case being DNA samples taken from Burns’ vehicle.
A motive for the murders is still unknown but the lead theory is one of revenge.
Allegedly, the McDougal’s would allow their property to be used for drug deals between the Spencer family and three men from Uniontown.
In 2012 Spencer’s first cousin was shot four times by the three Uniontown men after a deal went wrong.
The man survived the shooting but the family still blamed the McDougals for what happened, allegedly making repeated threats.
Spencer and Burns are currently being held in the Greene County Prison without bail.