CLARION/BUTLER CO., Pa. (EYT) — New court documents released on Wednesday revealed that a Memorial Day weekend manhunt suspect and his accomplice allegedly tied up an 82-year-old woman and threatened to kill her during a home invasion earlier this month.
Case Against Damean Felmlee, 29, and Herbert Zellefrow Jr., 53
On Monday, May 6, around 11:32 a.m., PSP Butler was contacted to respond to a residence on McCommons Lane, in Brady Township, Butler County, for a home invasion armed robbery that had just occurred in the caller’s home. The caller was identified as a known 82-year-old female.
Upon being interviewed, the victim reported two males visited her home on Sunday, May 5, under the pretense of circulating a gun rights petition. The victim declined to sign the petition. The males left the victim’s residence and then returned, stating that their vehicle had broken down. They requested to use the victim’s telephone to contact a tow company.
The complaint states that the victim’s landline telephone cordless handset displays that at this time, the unknown parties contacted a number that was displayed on the Caller ID for future inbound calls as “Damean Felmlee.” The unknown parties left the victim’s residence again. The victim then received an inbound telephone call at 6:23 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, from the number identified as Felmlee, and the person on the line identified himself as a tow driver attempting to reach the two males with the disabled vehicle.
On Monday, May 6, around 9:24 a.m., the victim received another call from Felmlee’s phone. The caller was speaking as one of the males who had visited the residence on Sunday, May 5: “The tow truck driver said you would sign the form. We will be there in an hour.”
According to the complaint, on Monday, May 6, around 10:30 a.m., two males entered the victim’s residence carrying long guns.
Home Invasion of Residence on McCommons Lane, in Brady Township, Butler County
The first male was described as thin and white with dark hair, wearing earrings in both ears and wearing sunglasses. The second male was described as “darker skinned than the other” and slightly shorter with short dark hair. Both males were wearing jeans. The first male had a blue cloth backpack on his back with two long guns over his shoulder. He proceeded to use the bathroom and was presumed by the victim to be in the bathroom for approximately two minutes. Both males presented pistols to the victim while she sat at her kitchen table, the complaint states.
The first male pointed the pistol at the victim and told her that “Ron sent us” and he demanded $40,000.00. The victim replied that she didn’t have $40,000.00 and only had $10,000.00. The two males walked the victim to her bedroom and the “lighter-skinned” male zip-tied her hands behind her back and ordered her to sit on the bed. He then pointed a pistol at her and threatened to kill her if she didn’t tell them where the money was. The victim surrendered the cash to the male intruders, which they recovered from her bedroom dresser drawer. The victim was ordered by the males to remain seated on a bed until she heard their car horn beep twice. The males exited her room, where she remained as she was told for approximately 6-8 minutes. When the victim heard two faint car horn beeps, she maneuvered her way to escape from the zip-ties and contacted 9-1-1. Once free from the zip-ties, the victim was able to ascertain what was stolen from her residence. In addition to the $10,000.00 cash, the male intruders stole two cordless telephone handsets, jewelry (wedding-style rings), multiple firearms (long guns and a pistol), ammunition, and prescription Vicodin, according to the complaint.
82-Year-Old Victim Identifies Damean Felmlee as One of the Robbers
Recent photographs of Damean Felmlee, whose phone number appeared as incoming and outgoing phone calls on the victim’s Caller ID, are consistent with the victim’s description of one of the males from the robbery, the complaint continues.
PSP Butler Interviews Heidi Boots
On May 9, around 9:33 a.m., PSP Butler troopers interviewed Heidi Boots, who advised she has been dating Felmlee since 2018 and they have been staying with her friend in the 6000 block of State Route 68, in Rimersburg. Boots said she and Felmlee operate a silver Dodge Dart, the complaint notes.
Boots related that on May 6, the day of the armed robbery, she was with her friend all day in Rimersburg. She advised Felmlee was also there with her for “a little while,” but then he and his friend “Dale” left to go out looking for mowing jobs together. She said they went door-to-door looking for mowing jobs or “handwork” jobs and advised that they were “just trying to do whatever to get some money.” Boots advised that the day before the armed robbery, she didn’t know where Felmlee was all day, but confirmed that Felmlee did show up later in the evening and spent the night with her at the residence on Route 68, the complaint states.
Boots gave police two numbers for Felmlee, and one of them matched the number on the victim’s Caller ID, according to the complaint.
When asked about Felmlee’s employment, Boots advised that Felmlee doesn’t currently have a job and that he and “Dale” went for job interviews at a pipe supplier in Shippenville. She said they both had back-to-back interviews on April 29, and they rode in the same vehicle together for the interviews.
PSP Butler Interviews Pipe Supplier in Shippenville
After the interview, police made contact with an employee of the above-mentioned pipe supplier to determine the true identity of “Dale.” The employee confirmed that both Felmlee and an individual, who was identified as Herbert Zellefrow, a.k.a. “Dale,” attended back-to-back interviews on April 29.
Additionally, on May 10, police made contact with the employee again. Trooper Codi Walker confirmed specific details relating to Felmlee and Zellefrow. She advised that according to their surveillance video, they arrived in a two-door black Dodge Challenger SRT registered to Heidi Boots. Felmlee’s phone number listed with the company was the same number involved in the armed robbery. Neither Felmlee nor Zellefrow listed an address.
Troopers Analyze Felmlee’s Cellphone Records
On May 14, troopers analyzed Call Detail Records (CDR) and Timing Advance (TA) from Felmlee’s AT&T cell phone records.
The records indicate the following:
a. From May 1 to May 6, Felmlee’s cell phone was in the area of the victim’s residence at least once daily.
b. On May 4, at approximately 10:45 a.m., Felmlee’s cell phone traveled to Walmart in Monroe Township, Clarion County. This was corroborated by Walmart’s security video, which shows Felmlee and Zellefrow arriving in a black Dodge Challenger. They left the store at 11:58 a.m.
c. On May 4, at 11:06 a.m., Zellefrow sent an SMS message to Felmlee, who replied at 11:07 a.m. This is consistent with Walmart’s security video showing Felmlee accessing his cell phone between 11:06 a.m. and 11:07 a.m.
d. On May 5, at 2:50 p.m., Felmlee’s cell phone was in the area of the victim’s residence and appeared to remain in the area until at least 6:09 p.m. An outgoing call was placed from the victim’s telephone to Felmlee’s cellphone on May 5 at 7:46 p.m.
e. On May 5, at 6:23 p.m., Felmlee’s cell phone placed a call to the victim. The call duration was 67 seconds. No TA was generated from Felmlee’s cell phone between 6:14 p.m. and 8:11 p.m. Felmlee’s last TA connection at 6:13 p.m. located the device in the area of the victim’s residence.
f. On May 5, at 6:24 p.m., Felmlee’s cell phone placed a call to Heidi Boots. The call duration was 176 seconds.
g. On May 5, at 7:51 p.m., Felmlee’s cell phone placed a call to Heidi Boots. The call duration was 21 seconds.
h. Felmlee’s cell phone remained in the Brady Township area on May 5 until approximately 11:00 p.m. and returned to the Rimersburg area, specifically with TA connections consistent with becoming stationary at Zellefrow’s residence on Route 68.
i. Felmlee’s cell phone remained in the area of Zellefrow’s residence until May 6 at approximately 7:00 a.m. From there, the device travels north into Rimersburg, the south and east, ultimately reaching Staff Road at 8:46 a.m. TA connection at 8:45 a.m. is consistent with Country Corners Market surveillance video showing a silver Dodge Dart with dark windows cross State Route 8 from Hall Road to Staff Road.
j. On May 6, at 9:24 a.m., Felmlee’s cell phone placed an outbound call to the victim while at a location consistent with being in close proximity to the victim’s residence.
k. The device remained in the area until approximately 11:20 a.m., at which point it traveled east through West Sunbury Borough, and east on Hooker Road. Security video from Dassa McKinney Elementary School shows that a silver Dodge Dart drove eastbound on Hooker Road past the school on May 6 between 11:35 a.m. and 11:36 a.m.
l. On May 6, at 12:08 p.m., PSP Butler was requested to respond to a hit-and-run crash that occurred at Oneida Valley Road and Hindman Lane in Concord Township, Butler County. Multilateration of Felmlee’s cell phone places it at the location of the crash at the approximate time the caller relates the crash occurred.
m. Timing Advance data approximates Felmlee traveling through Parker City, Armstrong County, and crossing State Route 368 into Clarion County. Security video from Parker’s Country Market/Valero Gas Canopy shows that a silver Dodge Dart crossed the Route 368 bridge from the east to the west side of the Allegheny River at a time consistent with the records.
n. Felmlee and Boots communicate by voice call-in with reciprocity through Felmlee’s CDRs.
CDRs indicate that Femlee communicated with Zellefrow and Boots during the records period (May 1 to May 6).
According to the complaint, the presence of multiple actors on multiple days, the distance traveled, and the use of electronic communications during the planning and commission of the crimes suggest the cooperation or knowledge of multiple parties. The degree of involvement between the parties would be corroborated by location-specific information and persons contacted in context with those locations.
Clarion Borough Police Interview Zellefrow’s Girlfriend
On May 14, Clarion Borough Police interviewed Zellefrow’s girlfriend regarding a theft investigation. Clarion Borough Police captured screenshots from her phone of a text message conversation between her and Boots, which alluded to Boots having intimate knowledge of the robbery and Zellefrow’s involvement. Investigators attempted to contact Boots’ employer on May 16 and learned that Boots had not reported to work for several days, the complaint notes.
Clarion Walmart Surveillance Video Obtained
On May 19, troopers obtained surveillance video from Walmart in Monroe Township, Clarion County. The content of these videos was used to corroborate the evidence listed in (b) and (c) above.
Surveillance Video Obtained from a School in Clay Township, Butler County
On May 20, troopers obtained surveillance video from Dassa McKinney Elementary School in Clay Township, Butler County. The content of these videos was used to corroborate the evidence listed in item (k) above.
Other dates obtained from the school include:
o. May 1 at 9:18 a.m. — A silver Dodge Dart travels eastbound on Hooker Road in the area of the school.
p. May 3 at 7:57 a.m. — A black Dodge Challenger travels westbound on Hooker Road in the area of the school.
q. May 3 at 10:28 a.m. — A black Dodge Challenger travels eastbound on Hooker Road in the area of the school.
r. May 4 at 3:06 a.m. — A motor vehicle travels eastbound on Hooker Road in the area of the school.
These dates and times are consistent with Felmlee’s TA crossing Hooker Road.
Herbert Zellefrow’s Phone Records Received
On May 24, Trooper Osche received records from a T-Mobile number for Herbert Zellefrow. The billing details for this account identified the account as belonging to Herbert Zellefrow of State Route 68 in Rimersburg. Trooper Osche analyzed TA for this number and found that the locations corroborated with Felmlee in the area of McCommons Lane on May 6 during the robbery of the victim’s residence. The records also indicate that Zellefrow correlated with Felmlee from May 1 through May 5 while in the area of McCommons Lane, and at Walmart in Clarion on May 4 when Zellefrow was identified on store surveillance systems.
Based on the totality of the evidence, Trooper Walker concluded that Felmlee and Zellefrow planned and committed the crimes.
Case Against Heidi Boots
According to a criminal complaint filed in District Judge Timothy P. Schill’s office on Sunday, May 26, PSP Clarion Trooper Ryan Drayer interviewed Heidi Boots at 300 Hamilton Street in New Bethlehem, Clarion County, around 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 25, in conjunction with an active manhunt for Damean Felmlee.
According to the complaint, Boots was asked if she knew the whereabouts of Felmlee, who is her fiancé. Boots said she had not seen Felmlee for three days and that she would let law enforcement know immediately if she had any contact with him. Boots then got picked up from work and was asked if she had had any recent phone contact with Felmlee. Boots related that she had spoken to him via text message where Felmlee said that he crashed the car and would contact her when it was safe.
Boots was asked to show Trooper Drayer the messages, but she said she deleted all messages after reading them, the complaint indicates.
Boots was later involved in a traffic stop in Clarion Borough at 1:06 a.m. on May 25. The operator of the vehicle told Clarion Borough Police Officer Maxwell that he was going to Sheetz to get a coffee because he was tired and then he was taking Boots to the Leeper area. Leeper is the last known location of Felmlee, the complaint notes.
Felmlee Spotted in Leeper; Boots Located on the Scene
On May 25, at approximately 7:00 p.m., members of Marienville-based State Police arrived at 383 Laurel Lane, in Leeper, the home of one of Felmlee’s relatives.
Upon arrival, Felmlee was visually observed standing near a black Dodge Challenger parked near a camper on the property. Felmlee then fled the area on foot into a heavily wooded area, according to the complaint.
Boots was located on the scene and positively identified Felmlee as the male who fled into the woods. Boots was taken into custody by troopers on the scene and transported to PSP Clarion where she was fingerprinted and photographed, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, Boots committed the following offenses:
- Knowingly concealed the whereabouts of Felmlee;
- Knowingly deleted all communication records with Felmlee after the commission of a crime; and
- Purposely withheld information from a Law Enforcement Officer while conducting an interview during an active manhunt.
The Pursuit
On Friday evening, May 24, a manhunt for Felmlee ensued after he evaded Pennsylvania State Police troopers in a pursuit across Clarion County. Felmlee reportedly crashed his vehicle near the intersection of Arnold Avenue and State Route 66 in Farmington Township, Clarion County, before fleeing on foot.
On Friday evening, Clarion-based State Police Corporal Jacob Beers issued a statement advising residents to exercise caution and remain indoors as Felmee was deemed “armed and dangerous.”
On Saturday evening, May 25, area state police set up a staging area near Briar Hills Rustic Furniture located near the intersection of State Route 36 and Laurel Lane. The search for Felmlee continued throughout the evening into early Sunday morning.
Police used a helicopter to assist in the search, but it was eventually called off due to inclement weather.
Felmlee was seen by the police and residents several times throughout the pursuit but continued to avoid being captured.
On Sunday morning, May 26, Clarion-based State Police Communications Operator Steven Kostok confirmed to exploreClarion.com that Felmlee had been apprehended.
Both Felmlee and Zellefrow were charged with the following offenses:
- Robbery-Threat Immed Ser Injury, Felony 1
- Burglary — Overnight Accommodations; Person Present, Felony 1
- Theft by Unlaw Taking-Movable Prop, Felony 2 (four counts)
- Theft by Unlaw Taking-Movable Prop, Felony 3 (two counts)
- Unlawful Restraint/ Serious Bodily Injury, Misdemeanor 1
- False Imprisonment, Misdemeanor 2
- Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
- Terroristic Threats W/ Intent to Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 1
- Conspiracy — Robbery-threat Immediate Serious Injury, Felony 1
- Conspiracy — Burglary — Overnight Accommodations; Person Present, Felony 1
- Conspiracy — Theft by Unlaw Taking-Movable Property, Felony 2 (four counts)
- Conspiracy — Theft by Unlaw Taking-Movable Property, Felony 3 (two counts)
- Conspiracy — Unlawful Restraint/ Serious Bodily Injury, Misdemeanor 1
- Conspiracy — False Imprisonment, Misdemeanor 2
- Conspiracy — Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
- Conspiracy — Terroristic Threats W/ Intent to Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 1
Preliminary hearings are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on June 5 with District Judge Joseph Nash presiding.
Boots was arraigned at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 26, on the following charges in front of District Judge Jarah Lee Heeter:
- Hinder Apprehension/Prosecution-Harbor Or Conceal, Felony 3
- Hinder Apprehension/Prosecution-Conceal/Destroy Evidence, Felony 3
- Hinder Apprehension/Prosecution-False Information To LEO, Felony 3
Unable to post $100,000.00 monetary bail, she was lodged in the Clarion County Jail.
A preliminary hearing is set for Tuesday, June 4, at 1:00 p.m. with Judge Heeter presiding.