PA - Andrea Umphrey, 33, abducted & killed, Pittsburgh, 18 April 2004

Journal entries from Alvin A. Starks indicate that his fury brewed over a period of months before, investigators said, he abducted his ex-fiancee, Andrea Umphrey, and their infant daughter from a Sheraden church and killed the woman.

"If it wasn't for the grace of God and the prayers of others I would be in jail for murder or in my grave. Everyday is a struggle for me not to kill her and others that had something to do with this. Basically it's her family and friends," reads one writing that appears to have been a letter to a relative.

Assistant District Attorney Stephie A. Kapourales yesterday presented her last witness, a police officer, in the capital homicide case against Mr. Starks. The witness detailed contents of letters, journals and other writings that police seized from a self-storage facility leased by Mr. Starks.

The prosecution will rest today, Ms. Kapourales said.

Ms. Umphrey, 33, already had obtained court-ordered protection from abuse, fearing reprisals from Mr. Starks, 32, as the couple were involved in a custody and child support battle.

Ms. Umphrey, the mother of three who worked as an accountant, had been the choir director at Victorious Faith Evangelic Outreach Church in Sheraden.

It was at the church on April 18, 2004, that police said Mr. Starks interrupted the service, abducted Ms. Umphrey and her 9-month-old daughter at gunpoint, and led police on a 50-mile chase that ended at the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville.

At the toll booth, unable to navigate through heavy traffic, Mr. Starks shot and killed Ms. Umphrey before a Monroeville police officer fired into his van, wounding the distraught gunman, witnesses said. The baby was not injured.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06018/639665.stm
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:banghead: What a .thankfully the baby survived .

The penalty phase of Alvin A. Starks' murder trial will get under way today to determine whether the Windgap man will live or die.

Yesterday, a jury convicted him of first-degree murder for the April 18, 2004, killing of his ex-fiancee, Andrea "Andie" Umphrey, 33, whom he abducted, along with their 9-month-old daughter, from a Sheraden church.

In addition to capital murder, the jury of seven men and five women found Mr. Starks, 32, guilty of a weapons violation, fleeing and eluding police, reckless endangerment, simple assault, five counts of aggravated assault, and two counts each of attempted homicide, kidnapping and making terroristic threats.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06020/641261.stm

A man who killed his ex-girlfriend after abducting her and their baby from a church service escaped the death penalty when a jury deadlocked over his sentence.
Alvin Starks, 32, of Pittsburgh, will instead get a mandatory life term when he is sentenced March 1 for fatally shooting the 35-year-old mother of three, Andrea Umphrey of Pittsburgh.
"There are some people in this world that understand and appreciate that the deprivation of love can devastate a human being," defense lawyer Lisa G. Middleman said Saturday, after the jury announced the impasse.
Starks' brother, Marvin Starks of Lewisburg, said the defendant's demeanor Saturday suggested he wanted to die.
Umphrey's relatives and friends shook their heads and sobbed at the outcome.
"He didn't want life. He expected himself to die," Marvin Starks said. "He is mentally messed up. It's going to eat him up."
http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/13687211.htm

mysteriew said:

A man who killed his ex-girlfriend after abducting her and their baby from a church service escaped the death penalty when a jury deadlocked over his sentence.
Alvin Starks, 32, of Pittsburgh, will instead get a mandatory life term when he is sentenced March 1 for fatally shooting the 35-year-old mother of three, Andrea Umphrey of Pittsburgh.
"There are some people in this world that understand and appreciate that the deprivation of love can devastate a human being," defense lawyer Lisa G. Middleman said Saturday, after the jury announced the impasse.
Starks' brother, Marvin Starks of Lewisburg, said the defendant's demeanor Saturday suggested he wanted to die.
Umphrey's relatives and friends shook their heads and sobbed at the outcome.
"He didn't want life. He expected himself to die," Marvin Starks said. "He is mentally messed up. It's going to eat him up."
http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/13687211.htm

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I would rather have seen him get the DP, but since he didn't I hope that what he did torments him each and every day of his miserable life.

From his writings, to relatives there are indications that he really did think he would get the DP and he indicated that is what he wanted. So I guess this is one case where I am actually not disappointed that he didn't get it.
He didn't have the courage to kill himself, and thought he could force someone else to do it for him.
Haha. He's screwed.