Man tells judge he was involved in 1992 death
Erin Todd Spade told a Fayette County judge Monday that he did have involvement in the 1992 death of Robert Harris. That was contrary to what Spade told Judge Steve P. Leskinen when he tried to plead no contest to involuntary manslaughter last month.
During that plea hearing, Spade said that Robert Harris tried to rob him and he was defending himself. This time, Spade did acknowledge that he had a role in Harris’ death.
The 36-year-old attacked Harris late on June 13 or early June 14, 1992, using a blunt object when Harris was a backseat passenger in the same car as Spade. Police found Harris lying on the side of Route 40 in South Union Township. He was taken to a West Virginia hospital and died on June 19, 1992.
Police did not initially investigate the death as a homicide until the state and Uniontown police connected Harris’ injuries with those suffered by Jason Scott Frezzell that same night. Frezzell was the other back seat passenger.
He told police that Spade also attacked him. He said he escaped the attack by shielding himself with a car seat, then jumping out of the vehicle.
The driver of the car has not been charged.
When Frezzell came forward earlier this year, he identified Spade from a photo lineup, leading to his arrest. Spade was initially charged with aggravated assault for the attack on Frezzell, but that charge was dismissed because the statute of limitations had expired.
Spade will be sentenced at a later date. Since he entered a general no contest plea, his sentence will be up to Leskinen.
District Attorney Nancy D. Vernon has said that Spade’s plea is not part of a deal to get testimony against the driver of the car when Frezzell and Harris were attacked.