71-year-old is found shot dead in crawl space, PA cops say. Daughter among 3 arrested

A woman helped arrange the killing of her 71-year-old mother, who was found shot dead in the crawl space under a home, Pennsylvania cops say.

The daughter was among three people arrested in the death of her mother, Alice Robson, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office.

Robson was reported missing when her grandson, who needs 24-hour care, was discovered alone at the St. Clair Township home Dec. 11, authorities said.

Her body was found three days later, police said.

“The bloodhound unit alerted authorities to an unfinished crawl space beneath the rear porch of the residence where Robson’s body was discovered, concealed by a panel and covered by debris,” the district attorney said. “Robson’s autopsy revealed two gunshot wounds to her head.”

During its investigation, police interviewed 18-year-old Matthew Bates, who the district attorney’s office said is the “boyfriend of Robson’s granddaughter.” Officers learned Bates was at Robson’s home Dec. 11 to work on a vehicle.

Bates said later that day he was approached by Melissa Beacom, Robson’s 49-year-old daughter, according to a news release. Beacom asked Bates to kill her mother, police said.

The request was made as a result of a “tumultuous relationship” between Robson and Beacom over the custody of Robson’s grandchild, the district attorney said.

Bates and another man, 18-year-old Robert Jack, are accused of entering the Robson home that night, firing two shots and killing the 71-year-old woman. They then moved her body to the crawl space, police said.

The district attorney said blood stains were found in the living room of the home.

Bates and Jack were charged with “criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence,” officials said. Beacom faces charges of “conspiracy to commit criminal homicide and criminal solicitation.”

They remain in the Westmoreland County Prison without bail as of Dec. 18. The accused suspects are due in court Dec. 29, the district attorney said.

Robson had two children and seven grandchildren, according to an obituary. She was the former owner of a floral shop.

Robson’s husband, Edwin Robson, called her death “a shock,” TribLive.com reported.

St. Clair Township is about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh.

This story was originally published December 18, 2023 at 6:45 AM with the headline "71-year-old is found shot dead in crawl space, PA cops say. Daughter among 3 arrested."