Greensburg torture killer drops appeal, 'will spend my time in jail'

The woman who was the linchpin in the prosecutions of a group of Greensburg roommates convicted in the torture slaying of a mentally disabled woman said in court Tuesday she no longer wants to challenge her sentence.

Amber Meidinger, 25, was in court to ask a judge to reconsider the 40- to 80-year sentence she received for pleading guilty in December 2013 to a lesser charge of third-degree murder.

“I appreciate my sentence,” Meidinger told the judge.

Westmoreland County prosecutors had sought a first-degree murder conviction and the death penalty against Meidinger, who participated in the February 2010 torture and stabbing death of 30-year-old Jennifer Daugherty of Mt. Pleasant.

Police said Daugherty was held captive for more than two days while being beaten, tortured and eventually stabbed to death. Her body was wrapped in Christmas lights and garland, stuffed into a plastic garbage container and discarded in a school parking lot.

Meidinger was considered a ringleader of the six roommates, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors agreed to allow her to plead guilty to the lesser charge for giving key testimony against three of her co-defendants, including two men who eventually were sentenced to die by lethal injection.

Meidinger said she filed her appeal based on the advice of fellow inmates. In the appeal, Meidinger said that her sentence was excessive and that she was dissatisfied with the work of her attorney, Amy Keim.

Westmoreland County Judge Rita Hathaway told Meidinger that a successful appeal could result in her case going to trial and that the prosecution could again seek a conviction of first-degree murder and the death penalty.

“I believe the evidence was pretty overwhelming,” Hathaway said. “Even (if the district attorney) didn't seek the death penalty, there is no doubt in my mind you would have been convicted of first- or second-degree murder.”

Responding to questions from Hathaway, Meidinger said she no longer wanted to pursue her appeal.

“I don't want a new trial,” Meidinger said. “I will spend my time in jail.”

Rich Cholodofsky is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-830-6293 or rcholodofsky@tribweb.com.