Murder suspects arrested in Greene County
Two Wind Ridge residents wanted for their alleged involvement in a triple homicide in Littleton, W.Va. were arrested this week at the Greene County probation office.
Samuel L. Spencer, 25, and Natasha L. Burns, 26, both of Richhill Township in Greene County, will face extradition to Wetzel County, W.Va., in a hearing Monday, but are being held in Greene County Prison without bail until then.
In arrest papers issued July 16, state police in West Virginia alleged Spencer told another man, “I told you I would get them back” the night that Michael McDougal, 63, Carmen McDougal, 55, and Jimmy Kisner, 48, were killed. Police in Littleton were called to the McDougals’ home on Cliff Run Road on Jan. 14, where they found the home fully engulfed in flames, according to police.
Kisner, of Aleppo in Greene County, was staying at the home, police said.
Authorities believe that Spencer and Burns stabbed Kisner and the McDougals, and then set fire to the home in an attempt to cover up the killings. Both are charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
In a complaint, police allege that the night of the killings, Spencer went to the home of Dave Riley to clean a cut on his hand. While he was there, Spencer reportedly told Riley that he said he got back at the McDougals and Kisner, police wrote.
Reiley reportedly asked Spencer what he meant, and Spencer “confessed in detail how he just killed all three of the victims,” police wrote in the complaint.
“Mr. Riley stated Samuel Spencer told him the only regret he has was that his girlfriend, Natasha Burns, had to witness the killings. Natasha Burns provided transportation to and from the victims’ residence,” police wrote.
The criminal complaint stated that blood found in the vehicle matched that of Kisner.
Following the crimes, the state police in West Virginia and Pennsylvania worked with the FBI to analyze video surveillance, conduct interviews and review physical evidence. Police said a nearby local store had video surveillance of the McDougals’ driveway, which the FBI was able to enhance.
Additionally, police interviewed Spencer and Burns one week after the killings, police said. Both acknowledged being in Littleton, according to court papers, and each said that Burns was in the area to pick up Spencer.
Because they were picked up in Greene County, and the charges are filed in West Virginia, Magisterial District Judge Lou Dayich committed both to the county lockup without bail to await extradition.
The proceedings are scheduled to take place Monday.
In addition to the latest charges, Spencer was also charged in unrelated incidents with simple assault and harassment in April 2012.
He pleaded guilty four months later, and was sentenced to 30 days to 23 ½ months in prison. He was paroled in January 2013.
Burns does not appear to have a criminal record in Greene County.
It was unclear if the two were at the probation office in Greene County to meet with a parole officer, or if they had arranged to turn themselves into authorities after the arrest warrants were issued.