After an exhaustive investigation spanning nearly seven years, the Department of Justice has announced the conviction of 32-year-old Torey White, a resident of Waynesboro, for the murder of three individuals in 2016. The trial, which shed light on the horrifying details of the case, concluded with White facing three mandatory life sentences.
On June 25, 2016, Pennsylvania State Troopers were dispatched to a property along Welsh Run Road in Mercersburg following reports of a grisly crime. Inside a barn on the premises, the bodies of two men and a woman were discovered. All three victims had been shot, their hands bound with zip-ties, and then callously set on fire.
According to US Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the investigation revealed that the female victim was involved in a romantic relationship with White and another co-conspirator. Both individuals had been assisting the suspects with their drug distribution activities. However, the situation took a sinister turn when White and his accomplice discovered that the woman was cooperating with federal authorities. They subsequently orchestrated her murder.
The case unfolded further, revealing that two co-defendants in the trial recruited members of a Baltimore-based gang and individuals from the city to travel to the victims’ property with the intent to kill the woman. The perpetrators were promised a reward of $20,000, stashed in a safe within the barn, along with any drugs and firearms they could find on the premises.
Attorney Karam emphasized that the woman’s murder was carried out to safeguard the drug trafficking operations of White’s co-conspirator and their associates. The two male victims present during the incident were also slain to eliminate potential witnesses to the heinous acts of violence committed.
Aside from White, a total of 13 other individuals were charged in connection with the extensive investigation, marking a significant breakthrough in dismantling the criminal network responsible for the brutal crimes.
The prosecution of Torey White forms a vital part of the wider investigation conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, known as “Retribution for Welsh Run.” This probe represents the culmination of a meticulous six-year inquiry into the murders of Wendy Ann Chaney (39), Brandon Cole (47), and Phillip Matthew Jackson (36) on June 25, 2016. The victims were found in a barn on Jackson’s property, their hands bound and bodies charred from being set ablaze. Chaney and Cole had sustained single gunshot wounds to the head, while Chaney had suffered two gunshots to her back and neck. Although Chaney and Cole were deceased upon the authorities’ arrival, Jackson passed away shortly after being transported to York Hospital.
The successful conviction of Torey White stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication of law enforcement agencies and their commitment to pursuing justice in the face of such heinous crimes. The conclusion of this trial offers some closure to the families and loved ones of the victims while underscoring the importance of continued efforts to combat organized crime and protect communities from the devastating consequences of drug-related violence.
