Jennifer Lee Daugherty (November 8, 1979 – February 11, 2010) was an American woman from Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, who had the mental abilities of an adolescent, according to her relatives, and trusted everyone around her. In February 2010, she was killed by a group of six people she considered to be her new circle of friends, later referred to as "The Greensburg Six."
According to testimony from the case, Daugherty traveled from her home to an apartment at 428 N. Pennsylvania Avenue in Greensburg on Monday, February 8, 2010, after being invited by Ricky Smyrnes, who had recently begun hosting Amber Meidinger and her boyfriend Melvin Knight. Daugherty was then held captive for three days, during which she was repeatedly tortured. Testimony described the group stealing money and items from her purse, hitting her with soda bottles and a metal towel rack, cutting her hair, painting her face with nail polish, and dumping liquids, spices, and oatmeal on her head. She was stripped naked, gagged, and raped by Knight, and was forced to consume feces, urine, and detergent. Her last recorded words were a note to her mother expressing love and hope that she would have a good day at work.
Witnesses testified that co-defendant Angela Marinucci had discussed killing Daugherty days before the murder, reportedly after overhearing Smyrnes tell Daugherty he loved her and wanted to marry her, amid an alleged love triangle involving Smyrnes, Marinucci, and Daugherty. According to testimony, Robert Masters helped Daugherty attempt to retrieve clothing that had been thrown out a window, but before she could leave, Knight and Smyrnes returned and the group voted to kill her. Peggy Miller tied her with Christmas lights, the group forced her to write a fake suicide note, and Smyrnes gave Knight a steak knife, which Knight used to stab her in the chest and throat. Her body was placed in a garbage can and dumped in the parking lot of Greensburg-Salem Middle School.
Trials for the six defendants spanned from 2010 to 2022. Melvin Knight pleaded guilty in April 2012 to first- and second-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy, and was sentenced to death in August 2012; his sentence was upheld on appeal in March 2019 and again after a further appeal was unanimously rejected. Ricky Smyrnes was sentenced to death in February 2013, a sentence a judge upheld in February 2017. Angela Marinucci, who was 17 at the time of the crime, was found guilty of first-degree murder and given a mandatory sentence of life without parole in August 2011; following the U.S. Supreme Court rulings in Miller v. Alabama and Montgomery v. Louisiana, she was re-sentenced in July 2015 to the same term, and in May 2022 was resentenced to 60 years to life with parole eligibility in 2070. Amber Meidinger, who testified against the others, was sentenced in December 2013 to 40 to 80 years after pleading guilty to third-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy. Peggy Miller was sentenced to 35 to 74 years. Robert Masters, who also reached a plea agreement, pleaded guilty in December 2013 to third-degree murder and conspiracy charges and was sentenced to 30 to 70 years.
The case drew national attention and led Pennsylvania State Senator Kim Ward to propose "Jennifer's Law" in April 2012, which would criminalize failing to report witnessed violent crimes; it was signed into law in 2012.
Greensburg, Pennsylvania (apartment) and Greensburg-Salem Middle School (body recovery site)
Case status
solved
Case timeline
2010-02-08
Jennifer Daugherty travels from Mount Pleasant to Ricky Smyrnes' apartment in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and is held captive.
2010-02-11
Jennifer Daugherty is killed; her body is placed in a trash can and dumped in a school parking lot.
2010-11-03
Trial proceedings begin, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty for Smyrnes, Knight, and Meidinger.
2011-08-03
Angela Marinucci is formally sentenced to mandatory life without parole after being found guilty of first-degree murder.
2012-04-12
Melvin Knight pleads guilty to first- and second-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy.
2012-04-23
State Senator Kim Ward proposes 'Jennifer's Law' at a conference.
2012-08-30
A jury votes to sentence Melvin Knight to death.
2013-02-28
Ricky Smyrnes is sentenced to death.
2013-12-04
Amber Meidinger is sentenced to 40 to 80 years in prison.
2013-12-19
Robert Masters pleads guilty to third-degree murder and conspiracy charges.
2014-09
Melvin Knight appeals his death sentence.
2015-07-01
A jury re-sentences Angela Marinucci to her previous life-without-parole term.
2017-02
A judge upholds Ricky Smyrnes' death sentence on appeal.
2017-07
Ricky Smyrnes' execution is delayed.
2019-03
Melvin Knight's death sentence is upheld on appeal.
2019-11
Amber Meidinger files paperwork seeking early termination of her sentence.
2020-11
Melvin Knight appeals his sentence to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; the appeal is unanimously rejected.
2022-05
Angela Marinucci is resentenced to 60 years to life in prison with parole eligibility in 2070.
Best coverage
Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
Emma Kenny / 1 hr 35 min
THE GREENSBURG SIX - The Murder of Jennifer Daugherty
People
Angela Marinucci
CONVICTED
Found guilty of first-degree murder at age 17; originally sentenced to life without parole, resentenced in 2022 to 60 years to life with parole eligibility in 2070.
Jennifer Daugherty
VICTIM
Mentally disabled woman from Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, held captive, tortured, sexually assaulted, and killed in February 2010.
Robert Masters
CONVICTED
Pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and conspiracy charges; sentenced to 30 to 70 years after reaching a plea bargain.
Amber Meidinger
CONVICTED
Pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy; sentenced to 40 to 80 years and testified against co-defendants.
Peggy Miller
CONVICTED
Sentenced to 35 to 74 years in prison.
Melvin Knight
CONVICTED
Pleaded guilty to first- and second-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy; sentenced to death.
Ricky Smyrnes
CONVICTED
Convicted and sentenced to death; sentence upheld on appeal in 2017.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Jennifer Daugherty, a mentally disabled 30-year-old woman from Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, was held captive for three days, tortured, sexually assaulted, and murdered in February 2010 by six people she considered friends. All six were later convicted; sentences ranged from death to 30-80 years in prison.
Where did the murder happen?
Greensburg, Pennsylvania (apartment) and Greensburg-Salem Middle School (body recovery site).
Who was convicted?
Angela Marinucci (Found guilty of first-degree murder at age 17; originally sentenced to life without parole, resentenced in 2022 to 60 years to life with parole eligibility in 2070.), Robert Masters (Pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and conspiracy charges; sentenced to 30 to 70 years after reaching a plea bargain.), Amber Meidinger (Pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy; sentenced to 40 to 80 years and testified against co-defendants.), Peggy Miller (Sentenced to 35 to 74 years in prison.), Melvin Knight (Pleaded guilty to first- and second-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy; sentenced to death.), and Ricky Smyrnes (Convicted and sentenced to death; sentence upheld on appeal in 2017.).
