FILE 253 / 9 December 2021 / 165 MIN / full

Bloodthirsty Murder & Stupid People

Daugherty Township, PennsylvaniaListen

The town

N ↑Public placeTown centre (approximate places)
Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

"So Doherty Township, Pennsylvania. This is western Pennsylvania, the farthest western county in Pennsylvania, damn near Ohio over here. It's about 45 minutes to Pittsburgh here"; he then says "So this is in Beaver County". about 0:05:50

History, in brief

Town note

Daugherty Township was named in honour of Black Doherty, a local attorney who lived there.

about 0:07:44

1890

In 1890 people in nearby Pulaski Township began talking about dividing the township again and drew up a petition to secede.

about 0:08:01

1891

The petition was voted down in 1891, but by 1892 the landowners were on board again.

about 0:08:17

Town note

Landowners met once a week to discuss the issue, ending every meeting with a prayer for guidance.

about 0:08:30
All 12 history facts

Town note

Daugherty Township was named in honour of Black Doherty, a local attorney who lived there.

about 0:07:44

1890

In 1890 people in nearby Pulaski Township began talking about dividing the township again and drew up a petition to secede.

about 0:08:01

1891

The petition was voted down in 1891, but by 1892 the landowners were on board again.

about 0:08:17

Town note

Landowners met once a week to discuss the issue, ending every meeting with a prayer for guidance.

about 0:08:30

Town note

Volunteers went from farm to farm to collect 400 signatures.

about 0:08:41

Town note

The court ordered that the north and north-eastern part of the township be designated Doherty Township in honour of B. Doherty.

about 0:09:37

Town note

The township website says the town is rich in history and heritage but that the office is short of artifacts and historical information, and asks residents to bring some in.

about 0:10:09

1904

A 1904 newspaper clipping on the town website records a sleighing party from Marion Hill visiting the home of Charles Ferguson for a bonfire and sledding.

about 0:11:14

1906

A 1906 clipping records a train striking a horse owned by Jake Bowers near the pottery.

about 0:11:43

1907

A 1907 clipping advertises a July 4th dance at Doherty Grove.

about 0:11:51

Town note

Another clipping records a Bible class corn roast at the Rombold farm in Doherty.

about 0:12:01

1910

A 1910 clipping records Clark Humes of Doherty Township falling twenty feet while repairing a barn, landing on a wheelbarrow and suffering four crushed ribs and a large head wound.

about 0:12:19

The figures, as told

Who lives here

White 97.5% · Black 0.8% · Asian 0.0% · Hispanic 0.0%

Ethnicity can overlap race.

Crime / national average

Property crime
▼ about half

about 0:25:06

Violent crime
▼ less than half

about 0:25:13

Money

Median home value$173,000
Two-bedroom rentabout $975
Median household incomea little over $70,000
Cost of living89

For sale

$149,900

Three-bedroom, one-bath brick house, about 1,300 to 1,500 square feet

about 0:19:08

For sale

$199,000

Four-bedroom, three-bath house, 2,053 square feet

about 0:19:40

For sale

$269,000

Four-bedroom, three-bath house, 2,391 square feet

about 0:20:23
All figures and comparisons, as told in 2021

Population

"2,980"

Comparison: "down 13% since 2000". Direction: below.

As told in 2021 about 0:15:32

Male

"a couple more than female"

Comparison: "50-50 is the normal". Direction: above.

As told in 2021 about 0:15:41

Median age

"52.1"

Comparison: "about 15 years older than normal". Direction: above.

As told in 2021 about 0:15:50

Married population

"almost 63%"

Comparison: "normally 50-50". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:15:54

Widow rate

"half"

Comparison: "the normal rate, despite the older population". Direction: above.

As told in 2021 about 0:16:04

Single with no children

"lower than normal"

Direction: below.

As told in 2021 about 0:16:17

Hispanic

"0.0%"

Comparison: "about 18% of the population in the country". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:16:42

Religious

"51.7%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:17:10

Democratic

"40%"

Comparison: "last election, Beaver County". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:17:29

Republican

"58%"

Comparison: "last election, Beaver County". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:17:29

Independent

"1.6%"

Comparison: "last election, Beaver County". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:17:36

Unemployment rate

"about 8.5%"

Comparison: "6% in the rest of the country". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:17:43

Household income

"a little over $70,000"

Comparison: "$57,500 average". Direction: above.

As told in 2021 about 0:17:45

Cost of living

"89"

Comparison: "100 is average". Direction: below.

As told in 2021 about 0:18:00

Median home cost

"$173,000"

Comparison: "291 in the rest of the country". No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:18:05

Average two-bedroom rent

"about $975"

Comparison: "lower than the national average". Direction: below.

As told in 2021 about 0:18:38

Three-bedroom, one-bath brick house, about 1,300 to 1,500 square feet

"$149,900"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:19:08

Four-bedroom, three-bath house, 2,053 square feet

"$199,000"

No direction stated.

As told in 2021 about 0:19:40

Four-bedroom, three-bath house, 2,391 square feet

"$269,000"

Comparison: "lower than the national average house". Direction: below.

As told in 2021 about 0:20:23

Property crime

"about half"

Comparison: "the national average". Direction: below.

As told in 2021 about 0:25:06

Violent crime

"less than half"

Comparison: "the national average". Direction: below.

As told in 2021 about 0:25:13

The reviews

3.5 / 5 · average of 4

4 stars

“Many houses were built by the families who live in them, so each has its own look rather than a tract-home plan, with decent space and a yard for each.”
about 0:12:58

4 stars

“People are nice around the area and easy to get along with.”
about 0:13:17

3 stars

“Says "if I could change where I live, I wouldn't" and then says he would like to try something new and hopes to move one day; likes the area's unique character and how close it is to Pittsburgh.”
about 0:13:26

3 stars

“The public services are good and the first responders respond quickly.”
about 0:15:17

In Pennsylvania

Closest episodes

  1. Bumbling In BloodAmbridge, Pennsylvania · 30 April 202218 km / 11 miShow on map
  2. That Can't Be An AccidentBrookfield Township, Ohio · 9 January 202059 km / 37 miShow on map
  3. Just My ImaginationHowland Township, Ohio · 14 May 202668 km / 42 miShow on map
  4. Born To Be BadWheeling, West Virginia · 28 March 202483 km / 52 miShow on map
  5. Writing A Murder JournalCochranton, Pennsylvania · 8 September 202288 km / 55 miShow on map

The story

Daugherty Township lies in Beaver County in western Pennsylvania, about forty-five minutes from Pittsburgh.

The marriage broke down. Harleen filed for divorce in August 1981 and the case ran for years.

On 15 December 1986 Harleen went to her adult daughter Debbie's house in New Galilee for a birthday party. Harleen left at about 10.45 in Barry Carl's 1984 Oldsmobile.

Barry Carl rang Debbie's house at 1.30, and he and Debbie's husband Jeff drove the route, found nothing and called the state police.

At about 2.45 David Kisow and Donald Mirdo came home to Kisow's house in Findlay, Allegheny County, about twenty-five miles away. An Oldsmobile was backed against the garage with the keys in the ignition. They opened the boot and found Harleen's body. Mirdo wanted the police; Kisow said he would be a dead man if he did not get rid of the car. Mirdo called at 2.59.

Her face had been destroyed. Her head was partly wrapped in a white scarf with a bullet hole, two spent .25 cartridge cases lay beside the car, and a bloody baseball bat had been placed between her legs. The autopsy found at least five blows to the head, a fractured neck bone from strangulation and two .25 bullets, between the eyes and in the left temple; she had been alive when shot. At the farm police found blood covered with gravel and leaves, two coat buttons and a gold earring.

Before that he had asked him to rough up Barry Carl, then to blow someone up with dynamite. On 21 December 1986 Kisow went to the police.

Three plans were discussed: a baseball bat, a shooting, or making it look like a robbery.

On 12 February 1987 Guevara showed investigators the grave in his landfill in New Sewickley, across from the Mayhew property, and they dug in the frozen ground.

The judge ruled it a voluntary utterance.

The case

Murder of Harleen Mayhew

Victims

Harleen Mayhew (50). co-owner with her estranged husband of E.L. Mayhew and Sons and Myco Environmental Services, a sewer and pipe cleaning business; living on the eighteen-acre family horse farm

Accused and outcomes

As told in the episode, on 9 December 2021.

Accused

Accused

Accused

Accused

Accused

Outcome

Other people

Barry Carl. Harleen's boyfriend and former financial adviser, whose 1984 Oldsmobile she was driving
Debbie. Harleen's adult daughter, whose birthday party she left in New Galilee
Jeff. Debbie's husband, who drove the route with Barry Carl looking for Harleen
David Kisow. neighbour of the landfill who found the car and body; had spent four years asking him to chop up a car with a body in it
Donald Mirdo. Kisow's friend, who called the police despite Kisow's warning
Steve Guevara. landfill and excavation business owner across the street from the farm, who saw on the night and went to the authorities
Chief Charles Zerillo. Rochester Township police chief who interviewed and passed on his knowledge of the time of death
Patricia Bradley. neighbour who, with her sister, identified in a photograph lineup
Brenda Spear. Patricia Bradley's sister, the other neighbour who identified
Joan Mayhew. sister, who testified that she called him at his condo at about 12.30 p.m. and found him at home
Sandra Mayhew. other sister, who testified that they played Scrabble one night and watched television another
Danny Farrell. friend, who drove him to the farm in April 1985 believing they were collecting stolen goods
Walter Gimbus. of Ohio, who sold the .25 pistol to between September 1981 and May 1982
Howard Stuber. business partner, who sued to keep Myco Environmental Services from the IRS and advised Guevara to go to the police
Ronald Nish. friend of and , whose home pointed out to as a place of assistance
Judge Peter Loveshio. Aliquippa district judge who said lent him $7,000 towards his house
Eugene Martucci. Rochester attorney asked Boza to tell not to discuss the divorce case

The timeline

  1. 1975 to 1981 Mayhew fails to pay about $400,000 in federal income taxabout 0:37:20
  2. August 1981 Harleen files for divorce; the case runs for years and involves several rounds of litigation over the businessabout 0:34:23
  3. 1981 On his return to Pennsylvania, asks David Kisow to chop up a car for him as payment for the proceeds of a 1980 cocaine sale Kisow made for himabout 1:03:23
  4. 1982 request changes to chopping up a car with a body in itabout 1:06:05

Murder of Earl T. Spann

Victims

Earl T. Spann (33). contractor and suspected arsonist in another case; shot through the back of the head, execution style, and last seen by his mother on April 4, 1985

Accused and outcomes

As told in the episode, on 9 December 2021.

Accused

Accused

Accused

Outcome

Other people

Steve Guevara. landfill owner who lent his pickup, was asked to bury the body, and in 1987 showed investigators the grave
Hudson Gibson. Guevara's employee, who operated the excavator that dug the grave and testified about the burial

The timeline

  1. April 4, 1985 Earl Spann, 33, is last seen by his motherabout 0:30:13
  2. April 5, 1985 and Guevara bury what calls a big cow on Guevara's landfill in New Sewickley (Guevara landfill)about 1:23:31
  3. April 5, 1985 and borrow Guevara's pickup truck and later return it; asks Guevara whether he would bury a dog for him (Guevara landfill)about 1:48:54
  4. April 5, 1985 In his trailer tells Guevara the four-legged dog is really a two-legged dog, a man hired to kill his wife who took the money and did not do the job (Guevara landfill)about 1:49:32
  5. after the burial, 1985 telephones Spann's number in front of Guevara and leaves messages on the answering machine, then ghsabout 1:51:14
  6. one to two months after the burial thanks Guevara for taking care of it and points to the grave; later appears to know where the body is (Guevara landfill)about 1:51:49

Places and phrases

N ↑Public placeTown centre (approximate places)
Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

Places in the story

Public places are marked on the map.

Heard in this episode