A Delaware County woman and her alleged lover are under arrest in what police are calling a "love triangle" murder.
Investigators say 22-year-old Stephen Shappell plotted with 34-year-old Morgan Mengel to kill her husband: 33-year-old Kevin Mengel, Jr. Police say the two alleged co-conspirators were having an affair.
Both Shappell and Morgan Mengel have been charged with first degree murder.
Kevin Mengel's body was discovered Saturday buried in the woods behind Marple-Newtown High School in Delaware County. Mengel had been reported missing six days earlier on Sunday, June 20th.
Shappell, of West Goshen Township in Chester County, was taken into custody without incident yesterday in Denver, Colorado. There's no word on how he traveled out west. Shappell's expected to be extradicted to Pennsylvania.
Police say Kevin Mengel was killed at his local landscaping business last Thursday. They say Shappell used a shovel to commit the murder after drugging the victim didn't work.
Investigators say Morgan Mengel initially told them her husband had been "stressed out" and "just packed up his stuff and left." They say Morgan Mengel tried to explain her husband's absence by telling authorities he had left her and their three children. But, during questioning police say she admitted to the murder plot.
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Authorities say when Kevin Mengel's mother received text messages on Father's Day purporting to be from her son, she became suspicious and contacted police. She told police that her son never sends text messages.
Police later determined that Morgan Mengel sent the messages.
In addition to the murder charge , Morgan Mengel faces a conspiracy count.
Records show the Mengels had custody disputes dating back to 1999, but that a divorce petition filed by Morgan Mengel in 2004 was withdrawn.
A trust fund has been set up for the children of Kevin Mengel Jr. Donations can be made to Penn Liberty Bank at 210 Font Rd., Downingtown, Pa 19335.
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