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David Lindsay named county public defender

From staff reports

LOCK HAVEN — David I. Lindsay has been appointed as public defender for Loyd Groves, convicted last month of killing Kathy Heckel on July 15, 1991.

Groves was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in state prison for third-degree murder by Senior Judge Kenneth Brown of Lycoming County, who presided over the 11-day trial in the Clinton County Courthouse.

Lindsay, a Clinton County public defender, was ‘Groves’ private counsel for the trial, along with Williamsport attorney George E. Lepley Jr. of Williamsport.

Groves filed an application seeking a public defender shortly after his conviction and Lindsay was appointed.

On his application Groves reported his only income as $500 a month in pension. His Social Security benefits of $700 a month ended upon his conviction.

Groves, arrested four years ago for killing Heckel, remained in the Clinton County Correctional Facility for nearly four years until his trial began on Nov. 13, 2018.

He was charged with first- and third- degree murder. A jury found him guilty of third-degree murder on Dec. 3, 2018 and he was sentenced on Jan. 17.

Groves, now 69 years old, was a co-worker of Heckel at the time of her disappearance. She left for lunch from Hammermill Paper Co. and was never seen again.

The prosecution claimed Groves and Heckel were having an affair and Heckel wanted to end it so Groves killed the woman, then 40 years old, and disposed of her body where it would never been found.

Heckel was declared dead after seven years, but her body has never been found.

Groves, who didn’t take the stand during the trial, denied killing Heckel during his sentencing, saying “I committed no crime.”

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