Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office
DA: 2 defendants sentenced to life in prison for murder of St. Clair Township woman
Greensburg, PA -- Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli announces the sentencing of Melissa Fox-Beacom, 51, and Matthew Bates, 20.
Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio sentenced Fox-Beacom and Bates to serve life in prison without parole.
Fox-Beacom and Bates were found guilty on all counts of first-degree murder, criminal solicitation, criminal conspiracy, and abuse of a corpse after a week-long jury trial in February.
Prosecutors contended Fox-Beacom, Bates, and a third defendant, Robert Jack, conspired to kill Alice Robson, 71, of St. Clair Township.
Robson was Fox-Beacom’s mother.
It was later learned Robson was fatally shot twice in the head on December 11, 2023, as she sat in the living room of her home.
Her body was discovered three days later, concealed in a crawlspace under the porch of her Furnace Lane residence.
Testimony revealed Bates provided the weapon to Jack in order to commit the murder at the request and direction of Fox-Beacom and Bates.
The firearm was later located in Donegal Lake.
Assistant District Attorneys Adam Barr and Steven Reddy prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth.
Jack is still awaiting court proceedings.
Location
Furnace Lane
St. Clair Township, PA
