Ex-Trooper Sentenced To Life For Dentist's Murder

A Pennsylvania State Police trooper, guilty of first-degree murder in the April 2006 slaying of Dr. John Yelenic at his Blairsville home, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Ex-Trooper Kevin Foley was living with Yelenic's estranged wife when the dentist was murdered. He was killed a day before he was to sign divorce papers from his wife.

During Foley's sentencing, the judge scolded him for betraying the oath that he took as a state trooper and committing what he called an "evil, incomprehensible act."

After the sentencing, Dr. Maria Tacelosky, a friend of the victim's, said, "It's such a senseless murder. It's just unspeakable."

Tacelosky is calling for the governor to investigate how then Trooper Foley was able to get state police investigators to arrest Yelenic on charges that he molested Foley’s son. Yelenic was exonerated, and the charges were found to be bogus.

“This was a state police officer,” she said. “Kevin Foley made threats (against Yelenic) in the barracks.”

Tacelosky told Channel 11 News she’s turning to the governor for help because she didn’t get an answer from the state police commissioner on the internal affairs probe of the Indiana and Greensburg barracks.

“When I asked the current commissioner why so many people involved in the case have retired, he didn’t answer my question, and he walked away,” she said.

Defense attorney Richard Galloway insisted Foley was not responsible for the death of Yelenic.

“The natural result of this kind of overwhelming coverage is you can’t get a fair trial in this county,” Galloway said.

Prosecutor Tony Krastek found Galloway’s media remarks outrageous.

“Well, I think the fact that Kevin Foley’s DNA was under my victim’s fingernails trumps everything else.”

The prosecution said Foley's DNA under the victim's fingernails was all they needed to get the conviction and sentence that they did.

Foley, 43, took the stand earlier this year during his trial, saying he had no role in the slashing death of the Indiana County dentist.

"Very disappointed in the verdict," Galloway said. "We still believe in Kevin's innocence, and we'll press forward."

Foley told the court that he could not have killed Yelenic, because he switched his work shift so he could watch "American Idol" that night.

However, prosecutors argued that bloody sneaker prints left at the crime scene were similar in pattern to ASICS Gel Creed sneakers owned by Foley. They also said Foley's DNA was found under Yelenic's fingernail.

Following Foley's sentencing on Monday, the Pennsylvania State Trooper's Association released a statement.

STATEMENT: Click Here To Read The Entire Statement

"Through the hard work and dedication of our Pennsylvania State Police, today a murderer received justice and faced his sentencing in court," the statement read.

Previous Stories: March 19, 2009: Jury Finds Trooper Guilty In Dentist's Slashing Death March 17, 2009: Defendant In Slain Dentist Case To Take Stand March 10, 2009: Wecht: Slain Dentist Stabbed Multiple Times In Throat February 13, 2009: Attorney Disputes DNA Evidence In Dentist's Slaying April 13, 2008: Murdered Dentist Remembered Two Years After Killing November 7, 2007: Trooper Faces Charges In Local Dentist's Death September 27, 2007: State Trooper Arrested In Connection With Local Dentist's Murder