Jacob Remaley was a fourteen year old teen killer from Pennsylvania who would murder his mother and brother
According to court documents Jacob Remaley would steal his father’s gun and would fatally shoot his mother Dana Remaley and 8-year-old Caleb. Jacob would later tell police that he would have shot his father however he had already left for work. Jacob would attempt to blame the murders on his father however his story would quickly fall apart
Jacob Remaley would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to thirty years to life in prison
Jacob Remaley Now
Parole Number: 088JN
Age: 21
Date of Birth: 02/13/2002
Race/Ethnicity: WHITE
Height: 5′ 11″
Gender: MALE
Citizenship: USA
Complexion: LIGHT
Current Location: GREENE
Permanent Location: GREENE
Committing County: WESTMORELAND
Jacob Remaley Case
A western Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to two concurrent prison terms of 30 years to life in the slayings of his mother and younger brother more than three years ago when he was 14 years old.
The Tribune Review reports that now-18-year-old Jacob Remaley apologized Tuesday in Westmoreland County Court as he pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the charges, saying “I know I am guilty.”
Public defender Wayne McGrew had said in October that Remaley would enter the plea after his 18th birthday since it would be easier to place him in a psychiatric institution as an adult. If at some point psychiatric treatment is deemed no longer needed, the rest of his term will be served in a standard prison environment, he said.
Prosecutors said Remaley shot and killed 46-year-old Dana Remaley and her 8-year-old son Caleb in their New Stanton home in November 2016. The defense says Remaley has multiple personality disorder and one violent personality he called “Wrath” told him to commit the murders.
Because he has been credited with time served, Remaley will be eligible for parole before his 45th birthday. Judge Christopher Feliciani said the defendant’s future is now up to him.
“I am sure this is a sad day for you and your family but you have taken responsibility for your actions,” Feliciani said. “Take advantage of all the programs offered so when the day comes you are eligible for parole, you may be paroled.”
Jacob Remaley News
The former New Stanton teenager who claimed he was under the influence of an alternate personality that made him kill his mother and younger brother more than five years ago told a Westmoreland County judge he hasn’t received proper mental health treatment as he serves a prison sentence of 30 years to life.
“I see a psychiatrist once every three months, for about 10 minutes, and all I get is medication,” said Jacob Remaley, 19, during a hearing Friday. He claimed he pleaded guilty but mentally ill in February 2020 only because his former defense lawyer provided inaccurate advice about the level of care he could receive while behind bars.
Remaley claimed he expected to be sent to a mental health hospital unit in the state prison system. Instead, he shares a general population cell with another inmate at a state prison in Greene County, where he receives a low level of mental health treatment.
Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani dismissed Remaley’s appeal. The judge ruled there was no evidence to support Remaley’s contention that his first lawyer gave him bad advice.
“There were no guarantees or promises,” the judge said.
Prosecutors said Remaley, then 14, woke early on Nov. 30, 2016, after his father had left for work, retrieved a gun from atop a refrigerator and walked to his parents’ bedroom, where he shot his 46-year-old mother, Dana. He then went to his brother’s bedroom, where he shot and killed 8-year-old Caleb.
Remaley was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder and, according to his doctors, he was under the influence of one he called “Wrath,” which ordered him to kill his mother and brother. Doctors said Remaley’s other personalities included that of a witch, an old man and a young girl.
His former lawyer, Chief Public Defender Wayne McGrew, testified Friday that mental health treatment was a priority in crafting a resolution to the case. McGrew said he believed the plea deal would result in Remaley likely being hospitalized in the state prison system, but testified he could not guarantee that placement.
Remaley pleaded guilty in February 2020, just a few weeks before the coronavirus pandemic caused major disruptions in almost every corner of life in the United States and resulted in the state halting all prisoner transfers. Rather than being sent to the state prison in Camp Hill where he could be evaluated to determine the level of mental health treatment he needed, it took a month before Remaley was eventually sent to Greene County where he has remained.
McGrew testified Remaley underwent a mental health evaluation there and corrections officials determined that facility could provide the care he needed.
Jacob Remaley told the judge his guilty plea was based on the belief that he would likely be admitted to the more intensive treatment program.
“I tried to think of what a jury would do. It was life or death, and I didn’t want them to stick a needle in me,” Remaley said.
The death penalty was never on the table for Remaley. As a juvenile, Remaley faced two consecutive sentences of 25 years to life for both murders, District Attorney John Peck said.
Instead, Jacob Remaley was ordered to serve a prison sentence of 30 years to life, meaning he would be eligible for parole before his 45th birthday.
Remaley’s new defense attorney, Adam Gorzelsky, argued Remaley received faulty advice from McGrew and should be allowed to withdraw his guilty but mentally ill plea.
“Everyone recognizes there was an unfortunate series of events, an order to transfer wasn’t processed fast enough and then covid. The question is if these unforeseen events were properly explained to Jacob,” Gorzelsky said.
Peck objected and said placement in a prison hospital was never guaranteed.
“This is simply a case of buyer’s remorse,” Peck said.
The judge ordered Jacob Remaley to be returned to the state prison but suggested he again be evaluated to determine the proper level of mental health care he requires.
