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Woman accused of murdering man in April appears in court

MORGANTOWN — Elizabeth Ann Chinn, the woman police say murdered a 67-year-old man in his home on Old Stewartstown Road, appeared in Monongalia County Magistrate Court on Wednesday.

Chinn, 33, is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting Timothy Pahl while burglarizing his home April 22.

Chinn was arrested April 26 in Pennsylvania at the Mohegan Sun Casino, in Plains Township, Pa., by the Pennsylvania State Police.

At her Wednesday court appearance, Chinn waived her right to a preliminary hearing.  She is being held in the North Central Regional Jail without bond.

Two others, Glenn Weaver, 26, and Elizabeth Hartley, 35, also appeared before Magistrate Darris Summers on Wednesday and waived their right to a preliminary hearing. The two were also arrested by Pennsylvania State Police when Chinn was captured.

Police say Hartley and Weaver were involved in the burglary and escape to Pennsylvania.

Weaver faces charges of burglary, grand larceny, conspiracy and harboring a felon. His bond was set at $250,000, but reduced to $150,000 on Wednesday. Summers said if he post bail he must report to the day report center every week and submit to drug tests.

Weaver’s attorney, David DeMoss, asked for the bond to be reduced to $100,000 and said that $250,000 was excessive.

Hartley is charged with harboring a felon, and bond was set at $100,000. It was reduced to $60,000 and Summers imposed the same conditions for her as for Weaver.

Hartley’s attorney, DeAndra Burton, asked for a bond reduction to $25,000.

Both bond reductions were against the wishes of Monongalia County Prosecutor Perri Jo DeChristopher who said the bonds should reflect the totality of the circumstances – not just what the charges appear to be on paper.

DeChristopher said she will present the charges for Chinn, Weaver and Hartley to the January term of the Monongalia County grand jury.

Al Kisner, Chief Deputy of the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department, said a deputy and transportation officer picked the three up Oct. 26 and took them to North Central Regional Jail.