Woman murders Pearl Harbor veteran with hatchet

[Jani.R]

OCK HAVEN, Pa. (AP) - A woman was convicted Monday of murdering her neighbor with a hatchet, striking the 83-year-old Pearl Harbor veteran nearly 70 times as he begged for his life.

Prosecutors said 25-year-old Shonda D. Walter carried out the attack because she wanted to join a gang, and one of the initiation requirements was to commit a crime. She also stole $500 in quarters from the veteran and drove away in his Toyota Camry.

The jury took less than 30 minutes to convict Walter of first-degree murder in the slaying of James Sementelli.

Witnesses at the trial testified that Walter said she took a break during the slaying to recite the Lord's Prayer, etched a cross in the veteran's stomach as he neared death, then watched TV and ate a bowl of ice cream before making off with his car and money.

``We thought that the evidence was overwhelming and, obviously, the jury did too,'' District Attorney Ted McKnight said.


Defense attorney Stephen Smith said he was disappointed but not surprised by the verdict.


Several dozen members of Sementelli's family cried and hugged each other as the verdict was read.


``That's no way for anyone to be treated. I hope it never happens to anyone ever again,'' said William Sementelli, the victim's brother.


After the verdict was announced, the jury began deliberations to decide if Walter should receive the death penalty or life in prison.


Sementelli grew up in Lock Haven and was stationed at the Army's Fort Weaver on Oahu when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. After the war, he returned to Lock Haven, where he worked as a taxi driver, in the post office and at a paper mill.

[Legion]

Terminate that bitch with extreme prejudice.

[joe mama]

Waiting for Minardiau to post to explain to us knuckle dragging gun nuts how this shows we need an immediate end to the private ownership of hatchets, or perhaps how if this guy had been armed and able to shoot this psycho, that would have been wrong, he should have used a more progressive approach to interact with her, which would have worked on someone hitting him with a hatchet 70 times. Because, you know, he works at a University, and University people are smart enough to know magical techniques that stop hatchet murderers in their tracks without using violence, and those techniques have been tested in many University studies where a violent animal...oh, excuse me, "person"...attacks another with a hatchet. I certainly hope I haven't offended anyone by calling this dirtbag psycho or an animal. It's not like she's done anything to earn my hatred, such as killing an old man with a hatchet.

[BadKarma26]

some people just don't deserve to live

[BigBaribal]

I'm against death sentence, but sometimes I feel not so sure anymore.

This is simply disgusting.

Btw, why are the state forces letting these gangs rule the streets?

Also why are the guys in charge not doing anything to attack evil at its root?

[Geezah]

After the verdict was announced, the jury began deliberations to decide if Walter should receive the death penalty or life in prison.


I hope they fucting gas the bitch!

May she burn in hell, and everyone calls Ted Nug a nut for wanting to kill these arseholes! :cantbeli:

[TheBlackPrince]

That's no way for anyone to be treated. I hope it never happens to anyone ever again,'' said William Sementelli, the victim's brother.

HAHA rofl

no crap..


Btw, why are the state forces letting these gangs rule the streets?

They don't let them, but its a failure of responsibility on their behalf. Granted, a problem in my city is that the communitys won't stand up to the gangs. (Example of a woman who did had her house firebombed killing her and her 5 grandchildren or something- don't hold me to the specifics- it was just alot of people) They need to bring a program of accountability to our police dept's in america following the model laid out by giuliani's administration when he was mayor in NY. It's a proven model and it's effective.

It takes a commitment by both parties though, but the police need to be there to reassure those of us who do want to keep the streets safe.

[WoodChipper]

Terminate that bitch with extreme prejudice. I second the motion. Should make that bitch suffer hard first.

[California Joe]

Frankly, the fact that he was a Pearl Harbor veteran is irrelevant. What an horrific murder by an obvious sociopath, or is it psychopath. And what's the deal with the Lords Prayer in the middle? Bizzarre.

Some people need killing and she's one of them.

[jasonglh]

Jury chooses death penalty in hatchet killing
4/19/2005, 6:12 p.m. ET
The Associated Press


LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (AP) — After deliberating for only 2 1/2 hours, a Clinton County jury sentenced a woman to die Tuesday for murdering her elderly neighbor with a hatchet in 2003.

Shonda Walter, 25, sat quietly as the jury's foreman announced the sentence. She is the first person to be sentenced to death in the county since Pennsylvania reinstated capital punishment in the early 1970s, and will be one of only a few women on death row.

Judge Richard Saxton asked Walter if she had anything to say before he formalized the sentence.

"No, your honor," she responded in a soft voice.

Rest here:

http://www.pennlive.com/newsflash/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-26/111394831238480.xml&storylist=penn

[gaijinsamurai]

I won't shed any tears if she's executed. A few years ago in Oregon, Marion Carl, a USMC WWII ace and Medal of Honor winner, was killed in his home by a punk who had been arrested and released from jail something like 6 times in four months.

[BlackFlag]

Terminate that bitch with extreme prejudice.
x100000000000000

[garoco]

1. RIP James Sementelli and I'm happy for his family and friends with the murderer being put on death row
2. I hope that the execution f**ks up and prolongs that bitches pain during her execution.

[Legion]

1. RIP James Sementelli and I'm happy for his family and friends with the murderer being put on death row
2. I hope that the execution f**ks up and prolongs that bitches pain during her execution.

I think they should have free ice cream for the witnesses of her execution.

[oldsoak]

No quick way out. Life behind bars with no parole.

[Legion]

No quick way out. Life behind bars with no parole.

Or just kill her slow p-)

[Abolith]

No quick way out. Life behind bars with no parole.



hell no I don't want to pay 40K a year for the rest of that bitches life, just to keep her behind bars. I'm 100% in favor of killing her and dumping the body in an unmarked, shallow grave.

[Bryson C]

Terminate that bitch with extreme prejudice.
x2. What a sad end for a vet.

[Werewolf01]

I think a standing room only cell with no windows and no toilet, and some "bitey" little friends for a few months would be a nice prelude to a slow painful death.

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

[ I'm 100% in favor of killing her and dumping the body in an unmarked, shallow grave.You done this stuff before then.