WASHINGTON 鈥斅燩atricia Welch, the wife of the man investigators have called a person of interest in the investigation into the disappearance of the Lyon sisters in 1975, has entered an Alford plea to a perjury charge in Virginia.
In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction.
Patricia Welch is the wife of Richard Welch, whom police have described as a person of interest in the disappearance of Sheila Lyon, 12, and Katherine Lyon, 10, while they were walking to a shopping mall in Wheaton, Maryland, in March 1975. He has not been charged, however.
Mark Segraves, of 海角精品黑料’s news partner, NBC Washington, broke the story, and told 海角精品黑料 Tuesday morning that Welch was given a two-year suspended sentence in the rural Virginia county and fined $1,000.
Segraves adds that Bedford County Commonwealth’s Attorney Wes Nance told the court that prosecutors have phone records and audio recordings of Patricia Welch telling witnesses not to cooperate with those investigating the girls鈥� disappearance 鈥斅爏omething Welch denied doing when questioned by a grand jury in December 2014.
Patricia Welch鈥檚 daughter, Patricia Ann Welch, told NBC Washington that her mother 鈥渟imply told people they didn鈥檛 have to talk to anyone they didn鈥檛 want to talk to.鈥�
Lloyd Lee Welch, Richard Welch鈥檚 nephew, was charged last year with first-degree murder in the girls鈥� deaths. Three other members of the extended family have been charged with perjury or obstruction of justice.
