Forensic anthropologist says Vandergrift woman's remains burned for up to 10 hours

A forensic anthropologist testified Friday the body of a Vandergrift woman discovered in remote Derry Township in 2017 was likely burned in a fire for up to 10 hours.

Dennis Dirkmaat, a professor at Mercyhurst University in Erie, told a Westmoreland County jury hundreds of small bone fragments along with a few larger, more intact remains were unearthed from the 6-foot burn site where police said the body of 34-year-old Ronny Cable was found about three weeks after her death.

“It takes hours to burn a human body,” Dirkmaat testified during the third day of the criminal homicide trial of Walter Cable, one of two men charged in connection with Ronny Cable’s death on Feb. 17, 2017. Police contend Walter Cable, 28, of Greensburg, hit the woman over the head with a hammer and strangled her before he and another man set fire to her body as part of a plan to steal drugs and money.

Police said the Cables are not related and that her former boyfriend, Devin Akamichi, helped set fire to her body and later confessed to his role in the alleged homicide. Akamichi, 28, of Export testified this week that he watched the killing and was threatened by Walter Cable to help burn the body.

Walter Cable is charged with criminal homicide, robbery, conspiracy and abuse of a corpse. The case against Akamichi, who is charged with criminal homicide, conspiracy and abuse of a corpse, is pending.

Prosecutors contend Akamichi took police to the burn site three weeks after the killing and described how Walter Cable used a shovel to break up Ronny Cable’s burning remains.

Dirkmaat testified that most of the bone fragments were too small to be analyzed but that several larger pieces of her body, including several ribs and a shoulder, were found in relatively good condition. The position of the bones indicated the victim was placed on her back or on her left side and fire was set on top of her body.

“We found elements from head to toes and from hands to feet. The individual was intact when placed into the fire,” Dirkmaat testified.

Two witnesses testified Friday.

County Detective Todd Roach told jurors muddy clothes and a $1,000 bill were found during a search of Walter Cable’s home. Other objects collected from Cable’s home and Akamichi’s car were tested for fingerprints, but none could be linked to Ronny Cable, Roach testified.

The prosecution will continue its case when the trial continues Monday.