Wife and son of confessed Coal Center murderer sentenced
After passing out in the courtroom Thursday, Diane McClelland, 50, was sentenced for her involvement in the 2011 murder of 92-year-old Evelyn Stepko of Coal Center. She is led away by Washington County Deputy Sheriffs after being ordered to serve 24 1/2 to 49 years in prison for conspiracy to commit homicide and related charges.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
David J. McClelland, 38, is led away by Washington County Deputy Sheriffs after he was sentenced Thursday to life in prison plus 14 to 48 years for his role in the 2011 murder of 92-year-old Evelyn Stepko of Coal Center.
In this June 2013 file photo, Diane McClelland is led away after a Washington County judge sentenced her to 24 1/2 to 49 years in prison for conspiracy to kill Evelyn Stepko in 2011.
WASHINGTON, Pa. — Sentences were handed down Thursday for a Coal Center woman and her stepson charged in connection with the July 2011 death of their elderly neighbor.
Diane McClelland, 50, in a voice barely audible, addressed the family of the murder victim, Evelyn Stepko.
“I just want to say I’m truly, truly sorry for what happened to Mrs. Stepko,” McClelland said.
She then collapsed face-first onto the courtroom floor, her attorney Brian Gorman reaching out to break her fall. Medics were called to the courtroom and the sentencing was delayed about 20 minutes as she was attended to and determined medically fit to proceed.
She had also collapsed earlier this year following her conviction on charges of criminal conspiracy to commit homicide, dealing in the proceeds of a crime, receiving stolen property and hindering the apprehension of a suspect.
Stepko was found dead in a pool of blood at the foot of her basement stairs in July 2011. She had multiple broken bones and two stab wounds to her neck. David A. McClelland, Diane McClelland’s husband, entered a guilty plea to first-degree murder in the case late last year. He is serving a mandatory life sentence without parole. It was alleged that he conspired with his wife and son, David J. (D.J.) McClelland, to rob Stepko over a two-year-period, ultimately leading to the July 2011 home invasion in which Stepko lost her life. The McClellands took more than $215,000 from Stepko, spending it on cars, real estate, guns and gambling. They have been ordered to make restitution of $215,820.
Judge John DiSalle said Thursday was the first time he has seen Diane McClelland express remorse in connection with Stepko’s death, noting that he handled her trial and some of the pretrial proceedings. Gorman asked DiSalle to consider the lower end of the sentencing guidelines, six to 12 years, given that his client had never had any problems with the police prior to her arrest.
“I would ask this court to pass a sentence that does not diminish what occurred here. This wasn’t a single incident, but a series of incidents over two years,” Assistant District Attorney Mike Lucas said.
In sentencing Diane McClelland, DiSalle questioned her level of cooperation with police.
“There was never any acceptance of responsibility, and Mrs. McClelland minimized her involvement. In her pre-sentencing interview, she is still saying she is innocent of the charges,” DiSalle said before sentencing her to 20 to 40 years in a state prison for criminal conspiracy to commit homicide. She was also sentenced to two to four years in prison for dealing in the proceeds of a crime, two to four years in prison for receiving stolen property and six months to a year for hindering apprehension, each to be served consecutively to the conspiracy sentence, for a total of sentence of 24 ½ to 49 years in prison.
D.J. McClelland, a former Washington Township police officer, received a mandatory life sentence without parole for homicide, plus 14-28 consecutive to the life sentence on charges of conspiracy, receiving stolen property and dealing in the unlawful proceeds of a crime.
Two of Stepko’s nieces and a great-great-niece offered victim impact statements, noting that despite her advanced years, Evelyn Stepko had been in good health and lived independently prior to her murder.
“She did not deserve to be murdered in the house she was raised in over her money,” said Kirsten Zbyl, Stepko’s great-great-niece from Bentleyville.
“D.J. McClelland was a cop. A cop is supposed to protect the people. Aunt Evelyn wasn’t protected,” Dolores Sprowls, Stepko’s niece from Charleroi, said in her victim’s impact statement.
“When you started stealing from my aunt, you were slowly killing her then,” said Dolores Stein, Stepko’s niece, also of Bentleyville. “I hope you have a lot of time to think about how terrible this was and the pain you caused.”