Computer, safe seized at (R) state senator's home re shooting death

[Divernan]

This is the latest development in a story about a 14 year old boy who was found dead on July 22nd, from one gunshot to the head. The boy was a next door neighbor of a Pennsylvania state senator, and the 9mm. handgun found next to his body belonged to the senator.

GOP Senator Regola is the sponsor of a bill which would amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage. He is really big on "law and order", family values, and of course, anti-gun control. However, the state police report Regola and his 16 year old son (who was home on the night of the shooting) have lawyered up with two different criminal defense attys. and are no longer cooperating with the investigation.

There's evidence that the senator's son spoke by phone with the dead teen at 11:30 p.m. The following morning, the dead teen's father found his son lying in the woods, about 100 yards from his home, with the 9 mm. handgun next to him.

A question I have not seen discussed yet in the coverage, is why, if the teen shot himself only 100 yards from both houses, at sometime between midnight and 9 a.m., no one heard the shot. Perhaps the state police are searching the senator's home for evidence that the death occurred inside his home, and the body removed and staged to make it look like suicide, or alternatively, that the senator's son was present at the time and might have trace evidence on his shoes or clothing of gunpowder residue or dirt, etc., from the location where the body was found. It's a very bizarre scenario that is developing like a composite of several Law and Order scripts. Here are some snippets from the latest news coverage:

(snippets)

www.post-gazette.com/pg/06222/712485-59.stm

Pittsburgh, Pa.
Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006

Computer, safe seized at Sen. Regola's home
Police investigating shooting death of neighbor, 14, with Hempfield lawmaker's gun
Thursday, August 10, 2006

By Jonathan D. Silver, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



State police yesterday seized a safe and computer hard drive from the Hempfield home of state Sen. Bob Regola as part of their investigation into the shooting death of a 14-year-old neighbor found with the senator's gun. The safe belonged to the senator's eldest son, Robert Regola IV, 16. The hard drive was from an old computer, said Duke George, a New Kensington attorney representing the younger Regola.

Investigators are still trying to determine whether Louis' death was an accident, homicide or suicide. They are also trying to determine how and when a 9 mm handgun registered to Mr. Regola wound up next to him.

Mr. Regola had asked Louis to care for the Regolas' dogs while he was in Harrisburg accepting an award, and the teen was given a key. Robert Regola IV had remained in Hempfield, but said he was away from home until around 10:30 the night before Louis' body was found.

On the night of July 22, the same day that Louis' body was found, state police obtained a search warrant for a family computer at the Regola residence. According to an affidavit in support of that search warrant, Robert Regola IV had spoken with Louis by phone around 11:30 p.m. the night before.The search warrant affidavit also stated that an unidentified female acquaintance of both Louis and the younger Regola communicated with Robert Regola IV by AOL instant messaging about Louis' death.

[Chimichurri]

1. what a bizarre story. I bet they'll conclude the death was a suicide

and all will be well for the (R) senator. Just ask Scarborough how the system works.