Trial begins for woman, alleged accomplice accused of plotting mother's killing

The trial of a woman and her alleged accomplice, both of whom are accused of conspiring to kill the woman's mother, began in Westmoreland County on Monday.

The homicide trial of Melissa Fox-Beacom, 51, as well as Matthew Jason Bates, 20, began with opening statements, with the prosecution saying that while they may not have pulled the trigger, they are responsible for Alice Robson's death.

"The case is already solved. They have the killer; he's the star witness for the Commonwealth. They're trying to bring our clients in; they didn't shoot Alice Robson," said Fox-Beacom's defense attorney, Timothy Dawson.

Fox-Beacom and Bates allegedly conspired to kill Alice Robson over an ongoing custody dispute regarding Robson's special-needs grandson. However, the alleged trigger man was a then-18-year-old Robert Patrick Jack, who prosecutors say was allegedly provided the gun by Bates, with Fox-Beacom telling Jack, "We need you to put a fat cow down."

"Like I told the jury, you have to interpret his actions that night, and what you find his intent to be through the eyes of an 18-year-old," said Bates' defense attorney, Adam Gorzelsky.

Jack, who's set to testify against Fox-Beacom and Bates, allegedly shot Robson twice in the back of the head inside Robson's St. Clair Township home in December 2023.

Jack and Bates then allegedly stuffed the dead woman's body in a crawl space in the back of the home, covering the entrance with a white piece of cardboard.

During the investigation into her death, Robson's body was found less than 10 minutes after investigators began the search of the property.

The prosecution is expected to put more witnesses on the stand. The trial resumes on Tuesday at 1 p.m.