No motive surfaces in Venango County killing
FRANKLIN, Venango County — The investigation is ongoing into the grisly death of a 25-year-old city woman who was badly beaten and her body set on fire.
The alleged killers — Amanda L. Cypher, 32, of Franklin, formerly of Butler Township and Richard A. Kennedy, 28, of Vandergift, Westmoreland County — talked at length to investigators following their arrests Friday.
A motive, however, is apparently unclear, said Franklin Police Chief Kevin Anundson.
“We don't have one,” he admitted Monday. “There are too many options right now.”
He said detectives are also still trying to determine the extent of the relationship between the defendants and the victim, Tausha Lee Baker of Franklin.
And there remain still more unanswered questions.
Anundson said his officers, assisted by state police, remain busy conducting interviews while awaiting forensic tests on evidence and Baker's autopsy report.
“We have a lot of items that have been seized from different locations,” he said.
Cypher and Kennedy are being held in the Venango County Prison without bail. Both are charged with homicide, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with physical evidence.
A full report will appear in the Butler Eagle.
