July 17, 2022
Neighbors found Dr. John Yelenic in his Blairsville, Pennsylvania home.
Former Pennsylvania State Trooper, Kevin Foley, slashed him with a knife several times.
Foley had forced his head through a small window, which cut his throat, causing him to bleed out.
On the afternoon of April 13, 2006, a boy who lived next door discovered the crime scene of John Yelenic.
The boy noticed blood on the door and peeked through the house windows, where he noticed an extreme amount of blood throughout the room. He rushed next door to inform his mother.
When police entered Yelenic’s home, they discovered bloody shoe prints, blood cast off on the walls, floors and furniture. Yelenic’s body was lying on the floor with a blood pool around his body. He was clothed and barefoot.
They found multiple lacerations and stab wounds on the top of Yalenic’s head, face, neck, right arm, and stomach area.
His head was nearly decapitated. The room contained obvious signs of a struggle, including broken glass from one of the room’s small windows.
The medical examiner recovered DNA from underneath Yelenic’s fingernails. There was also a very small amount of DNA at the scene that did not match Yelenic.
Detectives spoke with neighborhood residents. Several people suggested one name: Kevin Foley, the boyfriend of John’s soon-to-be ex-wife, Michelle Yelenic.
Foley was employed as a homicide investigator with the Pennsylvania State Police and was stationed at the Indiana County Pennsylvania State Police Barracks.
Investigators discovered that tensions were high between John, his soon to be ex-wife Michelle, and her boyfriend Kevin.
Kevin Foley had made an off comment to one of his colleagues, asking if he would be willing to help “get rid of a dentist.” The colleague thought he was joking.
Investigators learned Foley had made these kinds of comments on many occasions. Foley was placed on leave as a result of being so close to the case.
When the DNA from under John’s fingernails and the unidentified DNA from the crime scene came back as a match to Foley, he was arrested for Yelenic’s murder.
Investigators further learned that a limited edition running shoe named Gel Creed made the bloody running shoe prints.
Foley owned a pair, which he had ordered in 2003.
On March 19, 2009, Kevin Foley was found guilty of first degree murder in the death of John Yelenic.
On June 1, 2009, Foley was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He is currently serving out his life sentence at the State Correctional Institution-Retreat near Wilkes-Barre, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
Michelle Yelenic was awarded the estate of John Yelenic in addition to his $1million life insurance policy due to John’s death happening before the divorce papers were signed.
Mrs. Yelenic did petition the court to grant a posthumous divorce after John’s death. A judge denied the petition.
Over the years, Kevin Foley and his legal team have entered several judicial appeals. The courts have denied all the appeals.
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