Plea talks end for Export man charged in Vandergrift woman's killing

An Export man will stand trial next year in connection with the murder of a Vandergrift woman whose charred remains were found in a wooded area near Keystone State Park in 2017.

Defense attorney Brian Aston said during a court hearing Tuesday that efforts over the last year to resolve the murder case against Devin Akamichi have been unsuccessful, and his client is ready to go to trial on charges, including first-degree murder.

“We’ve been unable to reach an agreement,” Aston told Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger

Akamichi, 30, was one of two men charged with the murder of 34-year-old Ronny Cable. Prosecutors said she was beaten to death at the Derry Township campsite where her body was later burned for hours. Akamichi served as the prosecution’s key witness during the 2021 trial of co-defendant Walter Cable, 29, of Greensburg, who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to a life prison term.

Akamichi attempted to plead guilty in August 2021 to a lesser count of third-degree murder and as part of a deal approved by prosecutors. He would have been sentenced to serve six to 20 years in prison. Krieger rejected that deal, saying it did not include a long enough prison sentence.

Aston said Tuesday the judge has indicated he will only approve a deal that includes a maximum sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison.

Prosecutors said both Akamichi and Walter Cable were responsible for the Ronny Cable’s death. Walter Cable and Ronny Cable were not related.

Akamichi testified at Walter Cable’s trial that he watched him kill the woman and steal from her purse. Akamichi claimed Walter Cable threatened his life if he did not agree to help burn her body, a process that took about 10 hours. Akamichi claimed Walter Cable told him of his plan to kill the woman while all three were in a Vandergrift-area bar hours earlier.

According to his testimony, Akamichi at first denied any involvement in the murder. But during an interrogation a year after Ronny Cable was killed, Akamichi admitted he was present for the fatal beating and participated in the burning of her body. He took investigators to a secluded campsite where Ronny Cable’s charred remains were found.

Walter Cable has appealed his conviction and claimed Akamichi’s testimony was tainted when he told jurors he had not been offered a plea deal before his appearance at the trial. Prosecutors and Akamichi have denied that allegation and said the initial plea deal was only offered after Walter Cable was convicted.

Akamichi’s trial is expected to begin in March.