Boy’s Death by Senator’s Gun Ruled Suicide
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GREENSBURG, Pa. — A teenager who was found dead with a state senator’s gun by his side committed suicide, according to a county coroner who recommended yesterday that no charges be filed over the death but left open the possibility of lesser charges.
Westmoreland County Coroner Kenneth Bacha’s decision came after an inquest last month into the death of Louis Farrell, 14, whose body was found last summer in woods behind his home and the home of his neighbor, state Senator Robert Regola.
The senator’s handgun was found beside his body.
Mr. Regola has said neither he nor his son, Bobby, 16, had anything to do with the shooting. The senator was in Harrisburg at the time, and Louis, a neighbor and friend of Bobby’s, had a key to the house because he was watching the family dogs while Mr. Regola was away.
“Although it appears that Louis Farrell lacked any motive to harm himself, the only conclusion that I can draw from the physical and forensic evidence is that Lou took his own life. Therefore, I have ruled the death of Louis Farrell a suicide,” Mr. Bacha said yesterday.
An attorney who presided over the inquest had questioned whether Louis’s death could have been anything but suicide.
Mr. Bacha gave reporters that attorney’s 23-page report, which cites testimony of forensic experts who said the gunshot wound was consistent with suicide. The shot was fired just above his right ear, with the gun pressed tightly to his head, experts testified.
Farrell family attorney Jon Perry said he was disappointed with the coroner’s finding and doesn’t believe the evidence proves Louis killed himself.
“Louis was not back there alone,” Mr. Perry said. “What happened, I don’t know — if it was kids playing with a gun and an accident happening. But I do not believe he was back there alone.”
The coroner, in a brief statement, said he recommended “no charges be filed for causing Louis Farrell’s death.”
But he said that “other offenses such as recklessly endangering another person and firearms violations do not require proof that other person’s actions caused death,” and that he was making no recommendations on those.
The decision to file charges is ultimately up to prosecutors, who said they don’t expect to do so for at least a week.
