Daughter arrested for murdering parents, dismembering remains with electric chainsaw: Pa. officials

A Pennsylvania woman has been arrested for murdering and dismembering her parents with an electric chainsaw, officials said.

Verity Beck, 49, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of third-degree murder and other crimes in the killings of Reid Beck, 73, and Miriam Beck, 72, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele told reporters. She was ordered to be held without bail during a preliminary arraignment on Wednesday, according to court records.

“There were signs of extreme trauma, and I’ll tell you that the chainsaw was found,” Steele said.

“Both Reid and Miriam were found in different stages of dismemberment, and that was one of the reasons that it’s taken the time today for us — because these were not easy autopsies to conduct,” he continued. “This is somebody that is dismembering her mother and father and putting body parts in trash cans, so clearly she’s trying to get rid of the evidence.”

Authorities made the grisly discovery at the family’s Abington home on Tuesday around 10:30 p.m., according to a criminal complaint obtained by CBS News. Beck’s brother, Justin, requested they perform a wellness check, telling authorities he had not heard from his parents since Jan. 7.

When he went to check on them himself that day, he spotted a body inside the home, according to the complaint. He urged his sister to call police, but he says she asked for “more time.”

Officers were immediately struck with the smell of decomposing bodies upon entering the residence. Further investigation uncovered one body wrapped up in sheets and a comforter in addition to body parts in garbage bags. They also found a chainsaw and three handguns — two of which were registered to Verity — inside the house.

Both Miriam Beck, a retired school nurse, and Reid Beck, a retired steamfitter, were shot once in the head through a pillow. It’s not clear when exactly they were killed.

“We hope and pray that happened first,” Steele said.

Amid their search of the home, authorities called out for Beck, prompting her to appear in the kitchen.

“Where are your parents?” police asked, per court documents.

Verity Beck allegedly replied: “They are dead.”

She was arrested on the scene.

A motive in the slayings remained unclear, but Steele said there was an attempt to break into a safe at the home.