Woman charged with murder after parents found dead, dismembered in Jenkintown
The couple's son thought he was texting with his parents last week. Authorities believe it was his sister who was using the phone.
JENKINTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A woman has been arrested and charged with killing her parents after their dismembered bodies were found in their Jenkintown, Pa. home.
Verity Beck, 43, is charged with first-degree murder and third-degree murder and is being held without bail.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said police arrived at the home on the 1100 block of Beverly Road on Tuesday night.
That's where 73-year-old Reid Beck and 72-year-old Miriam Beck, a former Lower Moreland High School nurse, were found dead.
According to the criminal complaint, their son arrived at the home earlier in the night and saw what appeared to be a body under a blanket.
Investigators say he talked to his sister for about 30 minutes. Police say Verity Beck told her brother that things at the home had "been bad."
Her brother told Verity that she needed to call the police, investigators said, and Verity responded that she needed "more time."
The brother left, returned to his home, and called 911, police say.
Officers entered the home to find a body tightly wrapped in a white bed sheet, and Steele said there was evidence of a second deceased person.
"There were signs of extreme trauma present," Steele said.
Police say that when officers entered the home they asked Verity Beck, "Where are your parents?" She allegedly responded, "They are dead."
A chainsaw was located near one of the bodies, Steele said, and both victims were in "various stages of dismemberment."
"Verity used this chainsaw and put parts of her parents into trash bags and had covered them up. They were actually in two different trash cans," Steele said.
The Action Cam was on the scene as officials from the Montgomery County Coroner's Office removed a trashcan covered with red plastic from the scene.
The coroner determined both victims died from a gunshot wound to the head. Several firearms were recovered from the home, Steele said.
Beck lived in the home with her parents, investigators said.
Police also say officers found a large safe in the second-floor primary bedroom that had drill marks on it. Investigators say it appears someone without a key or combination had been attempting to access it.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators believe the couple was likely killed on January 7 after finding unread newspapers with that date. That was also when their son last had voice contact with his mother, investigators said.
The couple's son told authorities he believed he was texting with his parents the past week. Authorities believe it was his sister who was using the phone.
A motive for the killing is not yet known.
"I'm completely stunned. It's a quiet neighborhood. Quiet neighborhood, friendly kids all over the place, lots of dogs, a great neighborhood, place to raise your kid," said neighbor Linda Cranney. "I'm stunned."
Miriam Beck retired from her job as school nurse at Lower Moreland High School in 2018 after 20 years.
"The district was made aware of the passing of a former employee, Miriam Beck. Mrs. Beck was employed at Lower Moreland High School as a School Nurse from 1998 to 2018. At this time, our thoughts and sympathies are with the Beck family," the Lower Moreland School District said in a statement to Action News.
