Mandie Reusch, 35, was charged Tuesday with aiding suicide and misdemeanor harassment
A Pennsylvania woman is accused of encouraging her estranged boyfriend to commit suicide.
Mandie Reusch, 35, was charged Tuesday with aiding suicide and misdemeanor harassment in connection with the death of 37-year-old Kevin Metzger. Metzger died on June 18, 2021.
According to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s office, messages allegedly sent to Metzger were “heinous and graphic.”
“Mr. Metzger may still be here today if those messages did not influence and encourage him to take his own life,” Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli claimed in a press release. “We will not allow or tolerate this kind of egregious behavior. The level of bullying, harassment and threats rose to a criminal level in this particular case and we will prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to PennLive.com, citing a criminal complaint filed by police, the messages allegedly began on May 5, 2021, when Metzger on military training out of town. Reusch allegedly messaged Metzger that she was in another relationship and the new man would be taking over as father of their daughter.
“I hope for [the child’s] sake that you do kill yourself,” Reusch allegedly wrote, PennLive.com reported. “She would be better off not even knowing you.”
She also allegedly informed him that she planned to have sex with a boyfriend on Mother’s Day “while your daughter calls him daddy,” PennLive.com reported.
On another occasion, Reusch allegedly sent him a video of her having sex with a man after Metzger gave her $200, which she told him was too little, according to PennLive.com.
Reusch’s attorney, Phil DiLucente, says his client is innocent of the charges.
“It was an emotional relationship between two individuals that happens every day in this country,” he tells . “There were texts that were exchanged that were emotional and at times could be considered mean and maybe to some even immoral but considering this a crime when there are no methods or means described by this individual to have this transpire just seems inappropriate.”
“Suicide is a very tragic and hurtful thing to have anyone suffer,” he adds. “We take it very seriously and it is even more upsetting and troubling that somehow Ms. Reusch is being considered responsible for this. There are always two sides to a story.”
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 27.