Thursday, January 11, 2007

Client won't attend Pierson service, lawyer says

By CHRIS A. COUROGEN

Police investigating Elaine Pierson's slaying devoted yesterday to the fundamentals of a homicide investigation while plans were made for a Saturday memorial service for the Perry County resident.

The attorney of a Dauphin County woman whose house police searched the day after she and other searchers discovered Pierson's body, said his client will not attend Saturday's service.

Perry County's district attorney, Charles Chenot, said the lack of new developments yesterday should not be mistaken for a lack of police activity. "[State police] have a lot of manpower involved in investigating the case," he said.

State police Sgt. Charles Ringer said investigators were on the road conducting interviews and others were processing evidence, including items obtained in Sunday's search of Rochelle K. Laudenslager's home in Lower Paxton Twp.

Police have not called Laudenslager a suspect in the Pierson case. The probable cause documents supporting the search warrant have been sealed by Dauphin County Court. Laudenslager's attorney, George Matangos of Lemoyne, said his client did not kill Pierson, but that it is difficult for him to comment further because he has not seen the sealed affidavit.

"It appears the investigation is wide-ranging, and I hope that is true," he said. "All I can tell you right now is, it was not my client. It was not Rochelle Laudenslager."

Matangos said Laudenslager will stay away from the memorial service in Phoenixville because she does not want to create an uncomfortable situation for Pierson's friends and family.

"She is tragically sad at this loss. She wants to attend [the memorial service] to grieve for her friend. She is afraid to attend because of the focus put on her by this investigation," Matangos said.

According to Laudenslager's mother, Laudenslager once lived with Pierson.

Matangos has speculated that Laudenslager attracted investigators' interest because of her arrest in Reno, Nev., on Oct. 15 on misdemeanor domestic battery charges. Reno police reports state Laudenslager allegedly struck her sister on the head with a frying pan as her sister slept. The charges were dismissed on a prosecution motion.

The motion stated that prosecutors could not prove Laudenslager's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and that "the defendant was not competent at the time of the incident because of numerous psychiatric issues."

Washoe County, Nev., court records indicate Laudenslager was involuntarily committed to West Hills Hospital in October and was discharged Nov. 1. Additional details were not available, but according to West Hills' Web site, the Reno hospital provides a full range of behavioral health care services.

Laudenslager has taken a leave of absence as director of Western Regional Professional Services for Highmark Inc., Matangos said.

State police continue to decline to comment on Laudenslager or anyone else in the investigation.

CHRIS A. COUROGEN: 255-8112 or ccourogen@patriot-news.com

RELATED LINKS: