Mercer PA Inmate Darl Heverly Fatally Strangles James Kelly With Bedsheet Monday Night

MERCER, PA. (THECOUNT) — Inmate, Darl James Heverly, housed at at SCI Mercer, in PA, has been accused of strangling his cellmate, James Albert Kelly, on Monday night, according to Tuesday morning reports.

Heverly, 35, used a bedsheet to fatally strangle Kelly, also 35, while inside a cell at the the Mercer State Correctional Facility, located in Findley Township around 8:50 p.m. Monday.

According to Pennsylvania State Police, Heverly strangled Kelly with a torn bed sheet while being held inside a cell in the restricted housing unit.

State Police anticipate that Heverly will be charged with criminal homicide and other charges, reports WFMJ.

Heverly is expected to be arraigned Tuesday.

In 2007, Heverly was convicted of kidnapping a woman and received a hefty 29-58 years in prison.

Heverly pleaded guilty to charges that he kidnapped a Kelly Township woman, robbed her, then left her tied up in the basement of her home.

Union County District Attorney said that Darl James Heverly had given indications that he’d intended to withdraw his guilty plea, but in a surprise move Tuesday, he reaffirmed his statements admitting guilt for the crime.

Mr. Heverly pleaded guilty to five felony charges stemming from his assault of Mary Belle Lontz, 70, on June 1 at her home along JPM Road, where he attacked her, forced her to write a check for $800, then tied her to a chair, stole her car and drove to Williamsport to buy heroin, reported DailyItem in 2007.

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Geo quick facts: Mercer is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,002 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Mercer County. Mercer is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The community was named after physician Brigadier General Hugh Mercer – Wikipedia.