Jury votes for executing Pa. man for killing his mom, sister, aunt

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GREENSBURG, Pa., May 8 (UPI) -- A jury has decided a Pennsylvania businessman should die for killing three members of his family.

Kevin Murphy, 52, of Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, was convicted of murdering his mother, sister and aunt in 2009 because they disapproved of his relationship with a married woman, and a jury imposed the death penalty late Tuesday after 7 hours of deliberations, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Wednesday.

Westmoreland County Commons Pleas Judge Al Bell is scheduled to formally sentence Murphy to death Thursday morning.

In final arguments to the jury, defense attorney John Peck argued the age of Murphy, owner of an auto glass business in Westmoreland County, his lack of a prior criminal record and good character warranted the sparing of his life, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review said.

Murphy shot Doris Murphy, 69, Kris Murphy, 43, and Edith Tietge, 81, to death. Their bodies were found at Ferguson Glass, the Loyalhanna Township shop Murphy owned, where they worked.