Convicted murderer’s life sentence upheld
Rowe convicted of strangling girlfriend to death
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The first-degree murder conviction and life sentence imposed on a former Blairsville man for the strangulation death of his girlfriend, whose body was found in August 2016 along a hiking trail in Johnstown, was upheld in an opinion issued last week by the Pennsylvania Superior Court.
Christopher George Rowe, 52, is serving his life sentence at the State Correctional Institution in Greene County.
The body of the woman he was living with in Blairsville, Kaylene Roedel, was found by Johnstown police on Aug. 7, 2016, along the Honan Hiking Trail, which is near Riders Road in Johnstown.
Rowe was the initial suspect in the case because in June 2016 the victim reported to police that he had choked her and punched her in the face and head.
The incident resulted in Rowe being placed in the Cambria County Prison, according to the summary of the case by the Superior Court.
While in prison, the couple were in frequent communication by telephone. Their conversations were recorded by the prison.
In July 2016, the victim related to Rowe that: she "intended to end their relationship; that he could no longer control her; that he assaulted her; and that she was aware he told others he would kill her after his release," the Superior Court stated.
The appeals court stated that she attended a bond-reduction hearing on Rowe's behalf.
His bond was reduced, and he was released from jail on Aug. 1, 2016.
On Aug. 2, 2016, he went to the place where Roedel worked. While at Cheaters Bar in New Alexandria, Rowe, it is alleged, threatened the victim.
During the early morning of Aug. 3, 2016, after leaving work, she contacted Blairsville police, complaining Rowe followed her home.
On Aug. 4, 2016, she again went to work, and at 2:30 a.m., she drove from work in her Chevrolet Blazer.
Her family, on Aug. 6, 2016, filed a missing person report.
Police, through surveillance cameras, were able to determine the Blazer -- at 2:40 a.m. on Aug. 6 -- entered Riders Road, next to the hiking trail, and left the area 26 minutes later.
The Superior Court stated that a police officer found the victim's body near the Honan Trail on Aug. 7, 2016.
Rowe was not arrested until July 2020. The lengthy investigation uncovered the fact that Rowe had confessed the murder to another girlfriend, but told her that she would be the "next one" if she ever told anybody.
Rowe was eventually convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole by Cambria Judge Norman A. Krumenacker III.
Through attorneys Dan Kiss of Hollidaysburg and Toby McIlwain of Johnstown, Rowe filed an appeal with the Superior Court.
He challenged the admission into the evidence of 10 phone calls between him and the victim that were recorded by the prison.
The trial court found the calls were admissible.
The Superior Court panel that included judges Jack Panella, Megan M. King and Timika Lane concluded the calls "showed part of a chain or sequence of events which formed the history of the case and were part of its natural development."
The panel stated, "We find the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the telephone calls."
The defense also objected to the telephone calls as illegal hearsay evidence.
"After careful review of the record, we conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in finding the telephone calls did not constitute hearsay," the Superior Court panel ruled.
The appeals panel explained the calls were entered to "establish a complete story" by providing the history of the case to the jury.
A third issue presented by the defense was that a state trooper had interviewed Rowe without counsel present, a violation of his constitutional rights.
The appeals court concluded that Rowe was in fact advised of his Miranda warnings prior to questioning, and the panel pointed out Rowe specifically waived his right to counsel.
The appeals court in its opinion stated under these circumstances, "no relief is due."
The defense finally argued the commonwealth had destroyed physical evidence that could have been exculpatory, or of benefit to the defense.
The Superior Court panel noted Rowe did not explain "what testing he would have performed on what evidence, and what he anticipated the results would have been."
The 27-page opinion written by Lane ended by noting, "None of Rowe's issues merit relief."