Death of elderly robbery victim found in pond was a homicide

BEAVER, Pa. (AP) — The death of an elderly man who was killed during a robbery and dumped into a pond has been ruled a homicide.

State police are seeking 36-year-old Kenneth Martell, of Cochranton, on charges including homicide and terroristic threats.

An autopsy performed Wednesday determined that Theodore Garver died of sharp-force injuries to the neck, and some assaultive blunt and sharp-force injuries. The 88-year-old Beaver man’s body was recovered late Tuesday morning in a pond in northwestern Crawford County.

State police are seeking 36-year-old Kenneth Martell, of Cochranton, on charges including homicide and terroristic threats. They say Martell used a handgun to force others to help cover up the slaying, telling them he went to Garver’s home to rob him but ended up killing him.
Authorities believe Garver was killed late Monday night or early Tuesday.