71-year old beaten and stabbed to death after telling couple living in his house to leave

A dispute over a living arrangement in a small Pennsylvania city has ended in violence, leaving a 71-year-old homeowner dead and two people facing serious charges.

Authorities say what began as a temporary stay escalated into a fatal confrontation.

According to Law&Crime, citing a Facebook post from Fayette County District Attorney’s Office, Alysha Riggans, 30, and Terry Newland, 58, are charged with criminal homicide and other offenses in connection with the death of Ralph Brown.

Prosecutors allege the pair had been staying at Brown’s home in Uniontown but refused to leave after he asked them to go.

Living arrangement turns tense

Fayette County District Attorney Michael Aubele said the situation deteriorated after the defendants extended their stay and made it difficult for Brown to remove them.

“They were going to basically take a room for a short amount of time, ended up changing their address to a point where he couldn’t really get them out,” Aubele told WPXI.

Tensions reportedly escalated over money in the days leading up to the killing, prosecutors said.

Investigators believe the pair then planned to kill Brown and take his money.

Alleged killing details

Riggans told authorities that on April 1 she saw Newland stab Brown in the neck and beat him with a table, according to Law&Crime.

She also claimed they placed a bag over his head, bound his feet, and kept the body in the basement for two days.

Prosecutors say the body was later wrapped in a blanket and left near an active railway, where it was discovered on Sunday.

Arrest and charges

Authorities identified Brown and later found evidence inside the home, including what Aubele described as “items of forensic value,” according to KDKA.

Investigators also allege the suspects accessed Brown’s bank accounts after his death.

Both defendants were arrested and arraigned Monday. They remain in custody without bail and are due back in court on April 20.

Sources: Law&Crime, WPXI, KDKA, Fayette County District Attorney’s Office

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation