Greensburg Man Gets Life For Killing Wife's Lover

GREENSBURG, Pa.,None — A southwest Greensburg man accused of killing his wife's lover in July 2010 has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Police said Richard McAnulty walked into an Oakland Avenue home on July 11 and shot and killed Harry Mears, before turning himself in to authorities.

"(The Mears family) have my condolences," McAnulty said after his sentencing. "Any time a life is taken it is a regrettable action."

During McAnulty's trial, District Attorney John Peck said the suspect was calm and collected on the day of the shooting, and that the suspect intended to kill Mears and took satisfaction in seeing him die.

The jury found McAnulty guilty of first-degree murder, burglary and carrying a firearm as a felon.

Defense attorney Tim Andrews said the killing was manslaughter, because McAnulty's actions were driven by passionate anger over the e-mails and affair between his wife and Mears.

Andrews said it wasn't a "typical affair" between McAnulty's wife, Diane, and Mears. He said it was a "master-slave" relationship, and Diane was the slave.

According to witnesses, McAnulty drove his pickup truck to the house, then got out and kicked down the door before firing shots at Mears, 39, while chasing him through the house.

Witnesses said McAnulty shouted, "You'll never sleep with another man's wife," before he shot Mears.

Two of Mears' neighbors took the stand, testifying about what they heard and saw the day of the killing.

One neighbor, Joanne Fetter, talked about how she saw Mears fall out of a second-story window then roll off the front porch roof. She said she saw McAnulty walk out of Mears' home with a gun, get into a red truck and drive away.

Mears was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries, police said.

Previous Stories: August 26, 2010: 'I Killed Him': Love Triangle Slaying Witness Testifies July 20, 2010: Police: Additional Charges Filed Against Greensburg Man Who Killed Wife's Lover

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