Frederick G. Ward, Jr. (1965-2024)

Frederick G. Ward, Jr., 59, of LaPorte, Colorado, formerly of New Sewickley Township, passed away on December 18th, 2024. He was born in Rochester on February 19th, 1965, the son of the late Frederick G. Ward, Sr. and Linda L. Harley Ward. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Christine M. and Brydie Mitchell of Gunnison, Colorado, his former wife and friend Terri L. Randolph of Colorado, three brothers and sisters-in-law, Donald M. and Darla Ward, R.J. Ward, Sam and Jessica Ward, all of New Sewickley Township, a sister-in-law, Erin Ward, formerly of Patterson Township and three sisters and brothers-in-law, Tammie L. and Kevin Merriman of Volant, Pennsylvania, Kim A. Ralston and Bob Belsterling of Rochester Township, Jennie L. and Brian Henley of New Sewickley Township, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Charlie B. Ward and a sister, Nicole L. Ward. He was employed at the City of Fort Collins, Colorado as a Building Inspector. He was a member of Burry’s St. John’s Evangelical United Protestant Church of New Sewickley. Fred was a graduate of Freedom High School in 1983, received a BA degree of Business in 1987 from Wittenburg University and a Master’s Degree from Western State College of Colorado in 1989. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity at Wittenburg. Fred was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, camping, fishing, 4-wheeling and riding motorcycles. He enjoyed life to the fullest and was known to be a hard worker, jack of all trades who helped anyone who needed him.  Friends will be received on Sunday, December 22nd from 2-4 P.M. and 6-8 P.M. in the William Murphy Funeral Home, Inc., 349 Adams Street, Rochester, and Monday, December 23rd from 10 A.M. until the time of service at 11 A.M. in Burry’s St. John’s Church, 1835 PA-68, New Sewickley. Officiating will be his former pastor, Rev. Win Grossclose. Interment will follow in Burry’s Church Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will also be held on February 22nd, 2025 at Fred’s home in LaPorte, Colorado. The family wishes memorial contributions be made to a charity of choice. The family wishes to especially thank the Bethany Hospice and Waters of Wexford caregivers.

Paul Clifford Carver, Sr. (1932-2024)

Paul Clifford Carver, Sr., 92, of North Sewickley Township, passed away on December 18th, 2024 at his residence.

He was born in New Brighton on June 13th, 1932, the son of the late William Chester and Nellie Cusick Carver. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife of seventy-one years, Eleanor Grace Oliver Carver, brother, Chester Carver, sister, Gloria West, grandson, Thomas Clair Carver and son-in-law, Delaney Kitts. He is survived by his children: Paul Clifford, Jr. (Carolyn) Carver of New Brighton, John Michael (Jeri) Carver of Darlington Township, Debra Marie Kitts of Hopewell Township and William George Carver of Brighton Township; his grandchildren, Nathan (Kristine) Carver, Patrick (Andreea) Carver and Stacy Jo (Joel) Sanders, five great-grandchildren: Isabell Carver, Thomas Carver, Emma Carver, Julia Carver, and Abigail Carver; cousin, Shirley Cusick, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Paul was a 1950 graduate of Beaver Falls High School and a Corporal of the US Army during the Korean War. Following the war, he spent twenty-six years working at B&W as an electrician.

Paul was also very active within his community. He was a member of the Concord Church, A Global Methodist Congregation, and a pack leader for Boy Scouts of America. He was also a past member of the Riverside Lions Club and the Riverside School Director for eight years.

Friends will be received Sunday, December 22nd from 2-4 P.M. and 6-8 P.M., as well as on Monday, December 23rd from 10 A.M. until the time of service at 11 A.M. at Corless-Kunselman Funeral Services, LLC, 3801 4th Avenue, Beaver Falls.

Interment will be private at Concord Church Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made if desired to the Concord Church, 285 Concord Church Road, Beaver Falls, PA 15010.

Roberta J. Cupp (1939-2024)

Roberta J. Cupp, 85, of New Sewickley Township, passed away at home on December 15th, 2024. She was born on January 27th, 1939, the daughter of the late William and Ada May Wolfe. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Holli Cupp, as well as all of her beloved puppies who passed away over the years. She is survived by her daughter, Jodi Wolfe, and her partner, Laurie Pettner. Roberta was a certified STNA home health aide, retiring at the age of seventy. She had a passion for western movies and dancing, and she adored flowers, especially gardenias. Her memory will remain in the hearts of all who loved her. In accordance with her wishes, funeral services will be private. Arrangements have been entrusted to Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street, Ambridge.

Luigi Mangione, the murderer of United HealthCare CEO Brian Thompson will face federal charge eligible for the death penalty

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is escorted by police Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was whisked back to New York by plane and helicopter Thursday to face new federal charges of stalking and murder, which could bring the death penalty if he’s convicted.

Luigi Mangione was held without bail following a Manhattan federal court appearance, capping a whirlwind day that began in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested last week in the Dec. 4 attack on Brian Thompson.

The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate had been expected to be arraigned Thursday on a state murder indictment in a killing that at once rattled the business community and galvanized some health insurance critics, but the federal charges preempted that appearance. The cases will now proceed on parallel tracks, prosecutors said, with the state charges expected to go to trial first.

Mangione, shackled at the ankles and wearing dress clothes, said little during the 15-minute proceeding as he sat between his lawyers in a packed federal courtroom.

He nodded as a magistrate judge informed him of his rights and the charges against him, occasionally leaning forward to a microphone to tell her he understood.

After the hearing, a federal marshal handed Mangione’s lawyers a bag containing his belongings, including the orange prison jumpsuit he had worn to court in Pennsylvania.

Mangione had been held in Pennsylvania since his Dec. 9 arrest while eating breakfast at a McDonald’s in Altoona, about 233 miles (37 kilometers) west of Manhattan.

At a hearing there Thursday morning, Mangione agreed to be returned to New York and was immediately turned over to at least a dozen New York Police Department officers who took him to an airport and a plane bound for Long Island.

He then was flown to a Manhattan heliport, where he was walked slowly up a pier by a throng of officers with assault rifles — a contingent that included New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

The federal complaint filed Thursday charges Mangione with two counts of stalking and one count each of murder through use of a firearm and a firearms offense. Murder by firearm carries the possibility of the death penalty, though federal prosecutors will determine whether to pursue that path in coming months.

In a state court indictment announced earlier this week, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office charged Mangione with murder as an act of terrorism, which carries a possible sentence of life in prison without parole. New York does not have the death penalty.

Mangione’s lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, said it’s a “highly unusual situation” for a defendant to face simultaneous state and federal cases.

“Frankly I’ve never seen anything like what is happening here,” said Friedman Agnifilo, a former top deputy in the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

She reserved the right to seek bail at a later point and declined to comment as she left the courthouse.

Mangione, of Towson, Maryland, is accused of ambushing the 50-year-old Thompson as the executive arrived to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference.

Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind. Police say the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition investigators found at the scene, echoing a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims.

The gunman then pedaled a bicycle through Central Park, took a taxicab to a bus station and then rode the subway to a train station before fleeing to Pennsylvania, authorities said.

There, a McDonald’s customer noticed that Mangione looked like the person in surveillance photos police were circulating of the gunman, prosecutors said.

When he was arrested, they say, Mangione had the gun used to kill Thompson, a passport, fake IDs and about $10,000.

According to the federal complaint, Mangione also had a spiral notebook that included several handwritten pages expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives. UnitedHealthcare is the largest health insurer in the U.S., though the insurer said Mangione was never a client.

An August entry said that “the target is insurance” because “it checks every box,” according to the filing. An entry in October “describes an intent to ‘wack’ the CEO of one of the insurance companies at its investor conference,” the document said.

Mangione initially fought attempts to return him to New York. In addition to waiving extradition Thursday, he waived a preliminary hearing on forgery and firearms charges in Pennsylvania.

The killing unleashed an outpouring of stories about resentment toward U.S. health insurance companies while also shaking corporate America after some social media users called the shooting payback.

Mangione, a computer science graduate from a prominent Maryland family, repeatedly posted on social media about how spinal surgery last year had eased his chronic back pain, encouraging people with similar conditions to speak up for themselves if told they just had to live with it.

In a Reddit post in late April, he advised someone with a back problem to seek additional opinions from surgeons and, if necessary, say the pain made it impossible to work.

“We live in a capitalist society,” Mangione wrote. “I’ve found that the medical industry responds to these key words far more urgently than you describing unbearable pain and how it’s impacting your quality of life.”

He apparently cut himself off from family and close friends in recent months. His family reported him missing in San Francisco in November.

Thompson, who grew up on a farm in Iowa, was trained as an accountant. A married father of two high-schoolers, he had worked at UnitedHealth Group for 20 years and became CEO of its insurance arm in 2021.

Keith Edward Speerhas (1937-2024)

Keith Edward Speerhas, 87, of Enon Valley, passed away on December 17th, 2024 in the comfort of his home. 

He was born in New Brighton on April 10th, 1937, the son of the late Henry and Ruth (Hocanson) Speerhas. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Joyce (Thomas) Seiter and a sister-in-law, Marge Speerhas. 

Keith is survived by his lovely wife of 64 years, Elizabeth “Betsy” (McRoberts) Speerhas, his daughters, Lisa (Paul) Fernandez, Amy Speerhas, and Beth (Phil) McClymonds, grandchildren: Luke Fernandez, Jacob (Rebecca) Fernandez, Hannah (Paul) Bowers, Andy (Maggie Moore) McClymonds, Ryan (Devyn Moye) McClymonds, and Olivia McClymonds; a great granddaughter, Ella Fernandez, his brother, Dean Speerhas, a sister, Marsha (Steve) Palyash, “unofficial daughter”, Barb Rowe, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. 

Keith was a machinist for his professional life and worked for Babcock & Wilcox Co. as well as Sekely Industries. He was a seventy-five year member of the Enon Presbyterian Church, where he served in various positions and was a proud Veteran of the United States Army.  In his free time, Keith could be found meticulously maintaining his lawn, garden, and vehicles.  He was an avid sports enthusiast and was fond of attending his grandchildren’s events. 

Friends will be received on Friday, December 20th from 2-4 P.M. & 6-8 P.M. in the GABAUER-LUTTON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls. 

Military Honors will be held in the funeral home on Saturday, December 21st at 11 A.M. followed by a funeral service in the funeral home chapel.  Dr. Darrell Knopp will officiate. 

Keith’s family wishes to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to his aide, Misty Evans, as well as Good Samaritan Hospice for their care and compassion. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Josh Gumbert Memorial Scholarship, c/o Blackhawk High School, 500 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls, PA 15010. 

Beaver Falls Police Looking For Homicide Shooting Suspect!!

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio Staff

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) The City of Beaver Falls Police Department stated via release that they are searching for 16-Year-Old Eric Anthony Krassman Jr. in connection with a homicide that occurred in the City on Wednesday night.

Chief David Johnson said that officers were dispatched to the area of the 300 block of 13th Street for a report of a male with a gunshot wound. When officers arrived and investigated it was found that a 16-year  old, later identified by the Allegheny County Coroner as Darrell Love, Jr., had sustained a gunshot wound to his head. Love was transported to a Pittsburgh Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Investigators were able to determine that Love was shot by Krassman Jr., who then fled the scene before officers arrived. He is being charged with Criminal Homicide and Possession of a Firearm by a Minor. He is described as being 5ft. 5 in. tall Caucasian with blue eyes and weighing around 120 pounds.

Police are asking anyone with information of his whereabouts to call them at 724-775-0880. They are also stating to not approach or try to apprehend Krassman as he is considered armed and Dangerous. (No Picture supplied due to the suspect being a minor).

Frye Transportation to Take Over Busing in Central Valley School District

(File Photo of Central Valley School District Logo)

(Reported by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano)

(Center Township, PA) The  Central Valley School held a special meeting on Wednesday afternoon and approved a proposed buyout of transportation services. During the brief special session, the board approved Frye Transportation Group LLC buying out the remainder of ABC Transits contract for transportation services starting with the 2025-2026 school year.

Other moves that were made by unanimous votes were that two probationary paraprofessionals were terminated, effective immediately. Buildings and Grounds  Director Clint Rawson’s retirement was approved effective on March 12th, 2025.

Shooting in Beaver Falls kills teenager

(File Photo of Police Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver Falls, PA) A shooting occurred in Beaver Falls on Wednesday night that killed a teenager. On Thursday morning, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office released a report saying that sixteen year-old Darell Love, Jr., died late Wednesday night. According to Beaver County dispatchers, police and EMS units were called to the 300 block of 13th Street at 9:45 p.m. The police of Beaver Falls are currently running an investigation into this incident. This is a developing story, and we will have updates as soon as they are available.

One driver hits another backing up in a two-vehicle Koppel crash

(File Photo of Police Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Koppel Borough, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that they were called to a two-vehicle crash that occurred on Tuesday on 6th Avenue in Koppel Borough. At 1:28 p.m., forty-two-year-old Alexander Nartey of Casper, Wyoming was backing up his 2025 Freightliner trailer to correct it. Nartey hit into the front bumper of a 2024 Dodge, driven by thirty-two-year-old Justin Warren of New Castle. No charges were given and there was no damage found to the drivers.

No injuries were reported after a single-vehicle crash that involved a driver and four passengers on I-376 West

(File Photo of Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Badge)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Hopewell Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that they were called to a single vehicle crash that occurred on in Hopewell Township on November 29th, 2024. At 9:25 a.m., on westbound I-376, forty-four-year-old Brian Wyckoff of Aliquippa was driving a 2017 Subaru Crosstrek and hit an ice patch and then a light post. There were four passengers in the vehicle and all five were wearing their seatbelts. There were no reported injuries.