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Saturday, April 27, 2002

By Ernie Hoffman, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Hempfield Area High School, rocked this week by the slaying of one student and the arrests of three others, returned to a more routine pace yesterday as district officials sought to reassure parents that students were safe.

"Everything is back to normal," Superintendent Wayne W. Doyle said after meeting with state police, who are investigating the slaying of Adam Bishop, an 18-year-old senior who was beaten to death with a hammer April 19.

Doyle said police told him that, based on their investigation, they did not see a need for any additional security measures at the high school.

Doyle said he called the meeting to ask police whether there was anything else the district should be doing in the wake of Bishop's death and the arrests.

A letter outlining security measures drafted earlier yesterday by Hempfield Area administrators and counselors was sent to the parents of the district's 6,800 students, Doyle said.

The letter urges people with questions or information about the slaying or other questionable activities to call state police in Greensburg at 724-832-3288, or make an anonymous call to the Safe School Helpline at 800-418-6423, Ext. 359.

Doyle said he hopes people will use these resources to help stop the rumors that have been generated since Bishop's slaying.

The letter also says security forces are stationed at the middle schools and high school and all elementary school entrances have security systems.

Police have charged Bishop's brother, 14-year-old Ian Bishop, and Ian's friend, 15-year-old Robert M. Laskowski, with first-degree murder. Both are freshmen at the school.

Then, at the end of classes on Wednesday, 16-year-old Matthew Conrad was arrested after a teacher spotted what police said was a "kill list" on one of his school folders. The sophomore was charged with making terroristic threats, a misdemeanor.

Doyle on Thursday said school officials were particularly concerned about the kill list because it included references to Adam Bishop's slaying. Police yesterday refused to comment on the superintendent's remarks.

Trooper Tom Spallone said the list included the names of two students and two adults, who were advised by police that their names were on the list. He would not identify those persons.

Police said Ian Bishop beat his brother to death with a hammer and Laskowski helped him place the victim face-down in a bathtub. They have not offered a motive for the slaying.

Ian Bishop and Laskowski were charged as adults and could face life in prison without parole if convicted of the first-degree murder charge, but yesterday one of their attorneys said he is leaning toward asking the Westmoreland County courts to transfer the case to juvenile authorities.

"We certainly are considering it," said Thomas R. Ceraso, one of Ian Bishop's attorneys.

Lee R. Demoski, Laskowski's attorney, said he has not decided on whether to make a similar request.

Ceraso and Demoski both said it was too soon to discuss their defense strategies.

A preliminary hearing for Ian Bishop and Laskowski, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has been rescheduled for May 21 before Hempfield District Justice James Falcon.

Conrad's case will be heard at a closed juvenile court hearing before Common Pleas Judge John J. Driscoll, probably next week.