Somerset Twp. couple dead in apparent murder-suicide
Carmine and Caryn Verno
A sign for the Vernos’ business at Lakeview Drive
State police and Washington County Coroner Tim Warco are investigating the apparent murder-suicide deaths of a Somerset Township couple.
Carmine Verno, 69, and Caryn Verno, 54, of Lakeview Drive, were found dead inside their home Wednesday after an acquaintance asked that a check be made of their residence. The husband and wife were last seen Saturday. State police said they died between 4 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Washington County Coroner Tim Warco ruled the deaths a murder-suicide. Carmine Verno died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after allegedly shooting his wife.
Trooper Thomas Kress, who investigated the deaths, said the two kept to themselves.
“They had some people call or send text messages, but they didn’t get any response,” Kress said Thursday. “A person who helped him take care of his property became concerned when he didn’t hear back from them.”
Ambulance personnel responded, looked through a window and saw Carmine Verno on the floor.
They owned CarVern Productions, a company selling promotional products such as mugs, pens, bags and shorts to businesses and other organizations. The business was formerly located on Locust Avenue in Washington and had been involved in beauty pageants and contests.
“I’m in shock right now,” said Joyce Ellis, a former judge at CarVern Productions’ preliminary round leading to the Miss Pennsylvania pageant. “I’ve known Carmine for years and years. He was a representative for the Miss Pennsylvania pageant here. We had hundreds of girls going through that. They started at the Franklin Mall” now known as Washington Crown Center.
Ellis placed the time frame of CarVern’s pageant promotion as the 1980s, and credited him with discovering Roberta Chirko, who grew up in Washington and later graced the cover of Vogue and a host of other fashion magazines.
“I hadn’t talked to him in a number of years,” said Ellis, executive director of the LeMoyne Multicultural Community Center in East Washington. “He had an office on Locust Avenue for many years. One thing I could say about him is that he connected with and was concerned about each of the (pageant) entrants. He was very professional in that respect.”
A 1997 Observer-Reporter story about a CarVern Productions chaperone refers to the firm managing beauty pageants throughout the tri-state area and assigning a local matron to accompany Halle Berry when she was Miss Ohio 1986.
Denny Adams, Washington city controller, who had a business about a block away from CarVern Productions, said he had known Carmine Verno for many years, adding that he and hhis wife would be missed in the community.
A check of public records at the Washington County Courthouse revealed that the Vernos were plaintiffs in two lawsuits filed since 2013 over injuries suffered by Carmine.
In July 2011, Carmine Verno was involved in a car crash in Monongahela. According to court documents, he suffered a closed-head injury, cerebral contusion, neck strain and back injuries, which led to headaches, mental anguish, sleep deprivation, anxiety and depression. Thirteen months later, he slipped and fell at WalMart, Trinity Point, and struck the back of his head on the floor, suffering a concussion and back injuries. Caryn Verno sued for loss of her husband’s consortium in both complaints. Both lawsuits were settled out of court.
Staff writer Barbara S. Miller contributed to this story.