UNIONTOWN — A woman who had been serving a 20- to 40-year sentence in the stabbing death of her boyfriend has been sentenced to 2½ to five years following conviction on a lesser charge.

The state Superior Court last year vacated the third-degree murder conviction of 37-year-old Dayna McMaster of Brownsville. She was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Thursday's retrial.

She was sentenced to the maximum term on that count Friday.

McMaster acknowledged having killed Clarence Blair III with a hunting knife in June 2009 at a remote location near a Redstone Township gas well. But she said she was a battered woman acting in self-defense, and the appeals court said her attorney should have called witnesses to testify about the alleged abuse.

MCKEESPORT — Authorities say a fire that killed an elderly man and injured the victim's son and a firefighter was probably started by a candle.The blaze was reported at about 11:15 p.m. Thursday at a home in the Pittsburgh suburb of Versailles.Firefighters from the volunteer fire department found the body of 70-year-old Arthur Periz while searching the residence.Fire Chief Dave Obley said a firefighter injured his elbow when he tripped over a hose, and Periz's son was taken to UPMC for treatment of burns.

PITTSBURGH — Authorities say more tests are needed to determine what caused a woman's death that officials suggested may have involved cyanide.The Allegheny County medical examiner's office on Friday confirmed the death Wednesday of 34-year-old Nicole Kotchey of Ross Township at UPMC Magee Women's Hospital.Media outlets reported that she was a medical researcher at the hospital. UPMC spokeswoman Susan Manko said the health network was cooperating with investigators.The investigation comes a week after a former UPMC researcher was convicted in the cyanide poisoning death of his wife last year. There are no indications the deaths are related.Authorities haven't said why they believe cyanide might be involved in Kotchey's death or whether foul play is suspected.