Gregory Carpenter, one of four men charged in connection with the March 4 murders of a Carroll Township couple, could soon be released from Washington County Jail.
Meanwhile, one of his co-defendants, 22-year-old Tecko Tartt, who has lived in Donora and Washington, will remain in prison while awaiting trial on two counts of homicide and other charges.
Carpenter, 52, and Tartt are charged in connection with the shooting deaths of Howard Springer, 63, and his wife, Nancy Springer, 65, at their Carroll Township home.
Tartt and Gerald Louis Szakal Jr., 25, of Webster, are charged with homicide. Carpenter and Justin J. Welch, 21, of Charleroi, are charged with aiding Tartt and Szakal in committing the murders.
On Tuesday, President Judge Debbie O'Dell Seneca granted a motion by Carpenter's attorney, Komron Jon Maknoon of Pittsburgh, that his client be given the opportunity to make bond and be set free to await trial on two counts of criminal conspiracy to commit homicide and other charges.
O'Dell Seneca reinstated bond for Carpenter at $250,000. Her decision followed a hearing during which Maknoon argued that bail should be set for Carpenter because he has no background of violence and he would live with family until his trial.
Assistant District Attorney Michael Fagella opposed setting bond because of the "severity of the crime" and because he believes that Carpenter would pose a danger to the community. Carpenter was released from a state penitentiary just two weeks prior to the murders. He was serving a sentence for a retail theft conviction.
Next, O'Dell Seneca held a hearing to consider a motion from Tartt's court-appointed attorney, Jeff Watson, that bond be set for his client as well.
During the hearing, Tartt's father, Edward Tartt of Washington, testified that, if released from jail, his son would stay with him until his trial. The elder Tartt said he would supervise his son and enforce court restrictions.
Edward Tartt said his son had lived with him off and on prior to his arrest. The elder Tartt described his son as a peaceful and loving man who to his knowledge had never shown any signs of violence or use of drugs or alcohol.
Tartt's father denied that his son was running from the law prior to his arrest, although charges were filed March 11 and Tecko Tartt was not apprehended until April 17. Edward Tartt said he told his son in a single phone call to surrender to police and that he would attempt to retain an attorney. He said he did not know his son's whereabouts at the time.
Tartt's aunt, Callie Moon of Donora, also painted a pleasant picture of the defendant. However, she testified to not being aware of Tartt's criminal past.
Prior to denying bond for Tartt, O'Dell Seneca pointed out that his case differed from Carpenter's, as Tartt is charged with two counts of homicide and is facing a possible life sentence. The judge also said that evidence showed that Tartt was "absent or hiding" from the time charges were filed against him until the time he was apprehended.