Published: June 02, 2009 11:31 pm      

Hearing to reveal evidence in 1981 murder case

SOMERSET — Evidence linking a former Somerset County man to his wife’s murder nearly three decades ago is expected at a preliminary hearing for John David Dawson on Thursday.

Dawson, 59, was arrested in April in Jacksonville, Fla., and charged in the murder of 30-year-old Kathleen Marie Dawson, whose charred body was found in her burned-out car early Nov. 10, 1981, on Cable Hill Road in Conemaugh Township, Somerset County.

The woman was bludgeoned to death, authorities said. She was returning to her Boswell R.D. 2 home after completing the second shift at Windber Hospital, where she worked as a nurse’s aide, when she either stopped her car or was forced off the road.

Police believe she was beaten on a hillside near her car, and her body was then thrown back into the car.

County Coroner Wilbur Miller said that death was caused by two blunt blows to the head.

Kathleen Dawson’s body was locked inside the car, and it was set on fire in what the police said was an attempt to cover evidence of the crime.

Although authorities had long considered John Dawson a suspect in the murder, his arrest did not come until 27 years later, when his nephew came forward with new information.

The preliminary hearing will be held before District Judge Susan Mankamyer at the Somerset County Courthouse beginning at 9:30 a.m.

District Attorney Jerry Spangler is expected to call a number of witnesses to testify, including Trooper William Goins Jr., the arresting officer. Spangler declined to comment Tuesday.

Dawson is being represented by Somerset attorney Joseph Policicchio.

Dawson, who waived extradition from Florida, was returned to Pennsylvania on May 3 and since then has been held in the county jail without bond.

About three months after his wife’s death, Dawson moved to Florida with a former local woman with whom he was having an affair.