Killer? Thief: Mark Geisenheyner

Update: Since I posted this on July 4th - more information has been reported. It does seem as if Joseph Shay may have been connected to the crime - he served time for grand larceny (see link at end of story).

Here's something interesting about Mark Geisenheyner: he's been arrested many times since 1979 for burglary (that means his criminal career began when he was roughly 20 - but god knows how much trouble he got into as a juvenile) , breaking and entering, receiving stolen property, and basically - he had made a lifelong career of being a thief.

You can access his criminal history here:

http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketSheets/CP.aspx

Here's a link to the murder of Joseph Shay and Gregory Erdmann that occurred on July 2nd, 2011 in Gilbertsville, Douglass Township, Pennsylvania.

I love a murder mystery and spent most of Sunday doing my own police work (actually, I was procrastinating on the book I'm working on) and what I discovered about the family that Mark Geisenheyner 'allegedly' tried to murder (and 2 that he did murder) was that Monica and Paul Shay come from a family of peace loving liberal activists.

I know the media tried to jump in and speculated that the murder had something to do with Joesph Shay (they reported he was seen arguing with someone in front of his aparment building), but if I was betting girl, I'd say one of two things happened:

1) The Shay's probably had a liberal, forgiving heart, and knowing he had a criminal past, probably believed, as so many liberal's often do, that forgiveness and second (in Mark Geisenheyner's case over 18) chances are the path to redemption. The house on Renninger road had been in the family for years and the Shay's lived in New York City full time, where Paul owned a plumbing company and Monica taught at Pratt University. Occasionally, they would escape to Pennsylvania for the weekend where they worked at renovating the home. Perhaps Mark Geisenheyner worked for them doing odd jobs and he snapped and murdered the family over an accusation (was something missing? stolen?) Perhaps Paul Shay kept money from his business in the secluded farm home - enough money to kill five people.

OR

2) Mark Geisenheyner knew the area and knew the house was usually empty. Perhaps he snuck in, hoping to rob it, and was caught...

I doubt the second scenario though, as, I'm sure their must have been cars in the driveway and the murder/shootings occurred at 10:30 - still pretty early in the evening.

I'm sure the truth will come out in time...but one thing I'm sure of...a man like Mark Geisenheyner with over 18 arrests and many jail sentences shouldn't have been able to see the light of day - let alone 'allegedly' point the trigger at 5 innocent people.

He finally got what he deserved.

Link to Joesph Shay information.