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Uncle of boy mauled by dogs guilty of arsonCONNELLSV1LLE. Pa. lt;AP) — Revenge has come full circle for family members of a boy mauled to death by a pack of dogs.A jury deliberated for less than anhour Wednesday before convicting Calvin Thorpe, 40, of South Connells-ville, Fayette County, in the arson that destroyed the trailer home of the dogs' owners.Thorpe also was found guilty on counts of burglary and criminal conspiracy in the fire that occurred hours after the funeral of his nephew, Robert Allan Thorpe, 11.The boy died after being mauled to death by nearly a dozen dogs owned by the occupants of the trailer home, Troy Thomas and William Marker Jr. A witness testified Tuesday that a group of the boy’s relatives, including Calvin Thorpe, sought revenge by breaking up the furniture inside the trailer and setting it on fire.Two other defendants —- Leroy Thorpe, a cousin, and Robert Eugene Thorpe, the boy's father — have pleaded guilty in the case.Sentencing for Calvin Thorpe is scheduled for June 27.In testimony, he denied setting the May 22,1995 fire — but only because the others beat him to it.“I probably would have done it if they didn’t do it first. But I figured why should I do it because they’re already doing it. I didn’t want to get involved,” Calvin Thorpe said.Thomas and Marker are awaiting trial on charges of public safety and penalties, which carry the same punishment as involuntary manslaughter.
Newspaper Details
Indiana Gazette
Indiana, Pennsylvania, US
Thu, Jun 06, 1996
Page 16
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 29 Jan 2019
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