East Pikeland Man Beats Girlfriend To Death With Fists, Boots: DA

EAST PIKELAND, PA — An East Pikeland man beat his girlfriend to death with his fists and steel-toed work boots because he thought she was cheating on him, authorities said.

Mark Turner, 53, lived with his girlfriend, Rachel Yeager, on the unit block of Ridge Road in East Pikeland, the Chester County District Attorney's Office said.

On Thursday, Nov. 1, Turner, who was employed as a handyman, had drinks at a couple of bars after work before returning home, according to police.

When he came home, he went upstairs to go to bed and saw that the bed was unmade, leading him to accuse Yeager of cheating on him, the DA said.

He returned downstairs where Yeager was sitting on the couch and began to punch her in the head repeatedly, police said, before using his steel-toed work boots to kick her several times in the vaginal area.

Someone called 911 to report a domestic disturbance. Yeager was found still alive on the couch when police arrived, and she was rushed to Phoenixville Hospital and then the trauma center at Paoli Hospital. The DA said she "lingered on life support for some time," but was soon pronounced dead.

Turner was taken into custody and charged for first degree murder. No bail is granted for that charge, and he was taken to Chester County Prison.

Anyone with any information on this case should call Detective John O'Donnell at 610-344-6866.

Image via Chester County District Attorney's Office