Preliminary Hearing Continued For Mother, Boyfriend Charged With Abington Teen's Murder

The preliminary hearing for Sara Packer and Jacob Sullivan in the Grace Packer homicide case has been continued until Feb. 24 in Doylestown.

The pair, charged with raping and killing Packer's 14-year-old daughter, were originally scheduled to appear in court Friday.

Packer and Sullivan allegedly beat, raped, poisoned and strangled the Abington teen in Richland Township, Bucks County over an 18-hour period in July. According to authorities, after raping and killing the teen, Packer and Sullivan then dismembered the 14-year-old girl's body and dumped it in a wooded area in Bear Creek Township, Luzerne County.

Packer is charged with homicide, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, possessing instruments of crime, endangering the welfare of a child, abuse of corpse, simple assault, tampering with physical evidence, and conspiracy to commit rape and each of the above crimes.

Sullivan has been charged with homicide, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful restraint, kidnapping, possessing instruments of crime, endangering the welfare of a child, abuse of corpse, simple assault, tampering with physical evidence, and corresponding conspiracy charges.

The Bucks County District Attorney announced the charges on Jan. 8.

A memorial service for Grace was held in Abington on Monday, as hundreds of members of the community gathered to pay tribute. The service was organized by five area mothers, who have also launched a foundation in Grace's honor, called On Gracie's Wings.