Scalp, bone fragments among evidence presented in Greensburg man's homicide trial
Jun. 4—Investigators found what appeared to be part of a human scalp, bone fragments, charred jewelry and clothing in a pile of ash at a secluded Derry Township camp site identified by a witness as the location where Ronny Cable was killed and her remains burned in February 2017, police detectives testified Thursday in a criminal homicide trial.
Thomas Klawinski, a former Westmoreland County detective, described dozens of items recovered from a heavily wooded area near Keystone State Park on March 10, 2017, a day after a man confessed he helped a friend burn the body of the 34-year-old Vandergrift woman who police contend was beaten and choked to death a month earlier.
"We collected everything that wasn't ashes," testified Thomas Klawinski, now a special agent for the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.
His testimony came during the second day in the trial of Walter Cable, 28, of Greensburg. Police contend he clubbed Ronny Cable over the head with a hammer at least 10 times then strangled her before burning her remains on Feb. 17, 2017.
The accused and deceased are not related.
Walter Cable is charged with homicide, conspiracy, robbery and abuse of a corpse.
The detailed search of the burn site came a day after Devin Akamichi told police that Walter Cable was the killer and took investigators to the location where he said both men spent hours overnight and well into the next day covering up the alleged murder.
Akamichi, 28, of Export, also is charged with criminal homicide, robbery and abuse of a corpse. He continued his testimony Thursday morning. He claimed he did not remember details of multiple statements he gave to police that defense attorney Tim Andrews said contained numerous lies and inconsistencies
Akamichi testified he watched Walter Cable kill the woman and only agreed burn her remains after he and his family were threatened.
Despite those threats, Akamichi told jurors he continued to befriend Walter Cable. The day after Ronny Cable was killed he and Walter Cable went to a party together at a friend's home, he testified.
Akamichi claimed he received no promises from the prosecution to testify against Walter Cable but agreed with a statement from Assistant District Attorney Pete Caravello that in return for cooperation the prosecution"will show you consideration in your case."
Vandergrift police Sgt. Anthony DePanicis testified Akamichi was originally questioned Feb. 27, 2017, about his former girlfriend's disappearance and initially claimed he had no information about Ronny Cable's whereabouts.
"He kept saying he didn't know where Ronny was, and when I asked if she was dead or alive Devin showed signs of anxiety and started to sweat. He asked what was in it for him," DePanicis testified.
During subsequent statements, Akamichi claimed Ronny Cable died from a drug overdose, that he was not present when Walter Cable killed her and finally that he witnessed the murder and admitted to his role in burning her remains, DePanicis said.
More than 160 pictures of items collected at the camp site were showed to jurors, including several that depicted bone pieces and jewelry found among ashes and other debris. Klawinski testified that investigators discovered what appeared to be a piece of scalp, clothing fragments, buttons, rivets from blue jeans and jewelry that included earrings and rings.
Police also found a partially filled gas can and a torch along with a hatchet and shovel. Akamichi testified on Wednesday that Walter Cable used a shovel to break up the woman's bones as they burned. Food wrappers and crushed beer cans also were collected, Klawinski testified.
Klawinski will continue his testimony Friday.
Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich at 724-830-6293, rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .
