A former Monessen man convicted of the brutal murders of two young children and the rape of their mother in 1973 could be in line for a new sentence after serving more than 50 years in prison.
The lawyer for John Veltre, 67, told a Westmoreland County judge on Friday that evidence is being gathered for resentencing hearing that could ultimately lead to his client’s potential parole.
“We will review the case and detail our position,” said defense attorney Mark Shire.
Veltre was 16 when he was charged with rape and murder in connection the killing 2-year-old Sandra Dee Morgan and her 3-month-old sister, Tina.
According to court records, Veltre threw both children into a wall and stomped on the older child after he raped their mother and left her unconscious in her Monessen home. Veltre initially pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and related offenses.
In 1978, a state appellate court ordered that Veltre be given a new trial, ruling he didn’t knowingly and voluntarily agree to plead guilty.
Later that year, a Westmoreland County jury found Veltre guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and rape and sentenced him to the same term imposed after the guilty plea — two life prison terms without the possibility of parole and an additional five to 20 years for rape.
In recent years, the state Supreme Court has invalidated mandatory life prison terms for juveniles and ordered that Veltre be resentenced.
Shire said Veltre has undergone a psychological evaluation and the defense will have a mitigation expert review the case to find evidence in support of a new sentence that could include the possibility of parole.
“He’s an older guy now,” Shire said. “The commonwealth believes he is permanently incorrigible but his record in the last two decades shows he is not. There has been a lack of misconducts while in prison.”
No date for a sentencing hearing has been set.
Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani directed that another court appearance be conducted in August to determine a schedule for Veltre’s resentencing.