Woman, daughter found dead

NICK FALSONE

The Express-Times

WHITEHALL TWP. - The woman accused of shooting her husband and fleeing the township with their daughter, has killed the 11-year-old girl and committed suicide, township police said Friday.

The bodies of 57-year-old Rita A. Mensinger and her 11-year-old adopted daughter, Chelsea Mensinger, were discovered early Friday morning by a truck driver in Luzerne County, officials said.

Each had died from a gunshot wound to the head caused by the same 38-caliber revolver Mensinger had used to shoot her husband, Charles Mensinger, investigators said.

Luzerne County officials ruled the death a murder-suicide on Friday afternoon, according to Whitehall Township Police Detective Gerry

Procanyn.

Both were found dead in Mensinger's 1993 Chevrolet van, with Rita on the rear floor and Chelsea sitting upright in a second row seat on the

passenger's side of the van, officials said.

Mensinger had been wanted by township police for attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons possession violations after she shot her husband the evening of Sept. 15, authorities said.

Her husband remained in St. Luke's Hospital on Friday awaiting approval for release from his doctors, officials said.

Rita Mensinger allegedly used the revolver in their township home to shoot her husband in the chest, officials said.

Mensinger stayed in the home for about two hours as her wounded husband asked her for help, officials said. Mensinger then disconnected the phones and went to a friend's house to pick up Chelsea, officials said.

Mensinger had not been seen or heard from since then, officials said.

Procanyn said police don't know why Mensinger went to Luzerne County.

He said the department earlier believed earlier that she could have been in either Canada or Tennessee.

"Our investigation indicated that there were persons known to her in Tennessee and that she traveled to Canada on occasion," Procanyn said.

An anonymous caller earlier this week indicated she and her daughter were heading to New England, Procanyn said.

Police reports estimate that the van had been observed by truckers as early as Monday. It was parked near the front entrance of a Petro Truck Stop in DuPont, Pa., according to authorities.

"As many as 100 trailers could have encompassed the van," Procanyn said Friday.

The truck driver who found the bodies was not identified by Whitehall Township police Friday. Police said the truck driver called police

immediately after his discovery.

Both bodies were taken to Nesbitt Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., for autopsies, which were performed by Luzerne County Deputy Coroner Jim Desidrio, officials said.

Chelsea Mensinger had been attending Whitehall-Coplay Middle School as a sixth-grader, police said. Counseling through the school will be available for her friends, officials said.