Delaware County Daily Times - June 18, 2000 Article

Police blotter

Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA) - Tuesday, July 18, 2000

Police have lead that may identify dead woman

MIDDLETOWN -- The Delaware County Medical Examiner's Office may know the identity of the woman who was found dead in a Collingdale duplex, a spokeswoman for the office said yesterday.

Police received a report of a missing person fitting the description of the woman yesterday. The Medical Examiner's Office will attempt to confirm her identity using dental records, the spokeswoman said.

The cause of death had not been determined, the spokeswoman said.

The decomposing body was discovered Saturday by a man who had recently moved into the Pusey Avenue building. He found it beneath debris in a small side room of the basement of the residence at 423 Pusey Ave.

The woman is described as between 30 to 40 years old, black or Hispanic and about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 130 to 150 pounds. She had black curly hair in a weave and a clear stone stud with a yellow backing in her hair. In addition, she was wearing size 12 black Jordache basic jeans; Capri leggings and extra-large black or charcoal long sleeve, button down shirt; and a black tank or midriff top.

She was wearing pink polish on her toenails.

Police are asking for help in identifying the woman. If you have any information call Collingdale police at (610) 586-0502 or county detectives at (610) 891-4700.

Authorities believe the woman had been dead at least two weeks.

-- ROSE QUINN

Another lawyer tapped in Rivera case

MEDIA COURTHOUSE -- Attorney Steven Leach will represent accused baby-killer Robert Rivera in the death penalty portion of his case if he is found guilty.

Rivera , 33, of the 2800 block of Chichester Avenue, Boothwyn, is facing murder charges in the death of his daughter, Katelyn Rivera Helton. Rivera is charged with abducted the toddler from her babysitter's home Aug. 10. The baby has not been seen since that day.

If convicted of first-degree murder Rivera will face a second hearing to determine if he should be sentenced to life in jail or death by lethal injection.

Leach, who was one of convicted killer Sylvia Seegrist's defense attorneys, will be working with defense attorney G. Guy Smith on Rivera 's case.

Smith said yesterday that he had received evaluations from Rivera 's psychiatric and psychological testing, but would not comment on them.

Judge Charles C. Keeler still has a number of other pre-trial motions to consider. One is a request to have the trial moved outside of Delaware County or bring in jurors from another jurisdiction.

A status conference is scheduled for July 28.

-- CINDY SCHARR

Woman faces hearing in boy's death

CHESTER -- A Boothwyn woman charged with fatally hitting an 11-year-old city boy with her truck is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Aug. 9.

A spokesperson for District Justice Spencer B. Seaton confirmed defendant Lisa Conley's expected court date yesterday.

Conley, 36, was charged with being high on cocaine when she plowed her truck into William "Boo Boo" Morales on May 20.

-- ROSE QUINN