DA to seek death penalty against Charleroi couple accused of killing baby
Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said he will seek the death penalty against the Charleroi couple accused of killing their baby and hiding the child’s body behind a wall in their bedroom.
Alan Wayne Hollis, 27, and Kylie Lynn Wilt, 25, both of 710 Lookout Ave., were formally arraigned Friday morning by President Judge John DiSalle on charges involving the death of their infant son, Archer, whose body was discovered hidden in the wall following a wellness check in November at their apartment.
Walsh said he found three aggravating factors causing him to decide to pursue the death penalty against the couple, including the child’s age and the fact his death happened while another felony was committed, along with the belief that torture led to the baby’s death.
The couple faces charges of homicide, child endangerment and aggravated assault, along with misdemeanor charges of concealing the death of a child, evidence tampering, obstruction of justice and abuse of a corpse. An additional conspiracy charge is also tied to each of the counts.
Investigators said the couple originally claimed the boy died of sudden infant death syndrome last February while they were living at another apartment at 1005 Upper Crest Ave. in Charleroi. It’s unclear when exactly the child died, but the couple told investigators they placed the child’s body in a plastic crate and stored it in the laundry room of the Upper Crest Avenue apartment, according to court records. They eventually moved the boy’s body to the Lookout Avenue residence, placed it in a cubbyhole and installed drywall in front of it.
Charleroi Regional police discovered the child’s body Nov. 4 after doing a wellness check.
Court documents indicated the boy suffered multiple rib fractures that were in various stages of healing while he was alive. He also suffered a broken rib near his sternum around the time of his death, according to the preliminary autopsy findings. Walsh said the cause of child’s death still has not been determined due to the condition of the body when investigators found him.
Hollis and Wilt were arrested on lesser charges after the baby’s body was discovered, but were charged a month later with homicide and more serious felony counts. If convicted, they could now face the death penalty.
Wilt’s public defender, Josh Carroll, declined to comment on the case, while Dennis Popojas, the attorney for Hollis, could not be reached for comment Friday. Both Hollis and Wilt are being held without bond while they await trial.