Social Worker Killed

August 2, 2008 permalink

Unlike rabbis (story below), social workers cannot be driven away by public protest. Social worker Brenda Yeager was murdered by two clients in West Virginia.

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Three Arrests Made In Murder of Social Worker

08/01/2008, Staff, Huntington

Stephen Foster Jr.

Rosemary Forney

Stephen Foster Sr.

The search for a missing social worker from Lincoln County has a tragic ending. State Police say the charred remains of 51-year old Brenda Yeager were discovered in a remote section of Cabell County on Friday along with her burned out car.

Brenda Yeager

Mrs. Yeager had not been seen or heard from since Wednesday. State Police say they were hot on her trail-but her body and car were burning when they finally found her Friday. Now three people are charged in her death.

Twenty-three year old Stephen Foster Junior of Huntington said he was sorry as he awaited processing at the Cabell County Courthouse on Friday. His fiancé, 22-year old Rosemary Forney was also charged in connection with Yeager's death. A third individual, Foster's dad, 51-yea old Stephen Foster Senior, was charged as an accessory and with helping dispose of the body.

"I'm very saddened by all of this," said the Elder Foster when he spoke with WCHS Television on Friday. "I know that she only tried to help people. To having something like this happen to somebody who tries to help--because to be a social worker you have to want to help people."

Nobody apparently helped Yeager however, Troopers say she was sexually assaulted, murdered and then her body burned in an attempt to destroy the evidence. Mrs. Yeager's body has been sent to the state Medical Examiner's office.

State Police discovered the badly burned body of 51-year old Brenda Yeager Friday in a remote part of Cabell County. -- Photo: WSAZ TV

Authorities say Yeager had gone to the Foster's home for an on-site visit. It's unclear what prompted the attack that killed her.

The younger foster and Forney are charged with first-degree murder. The elder Foster faces charges of 3rd Degree arson, conspiracy, and disposal of a body. All three are lodged in the Western Regional Jail at Barboursville without bond.

*****STATE POLICE PRESS RELEASE****

ON THURSDAY JULY 31, 2008 THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE POLICE RECEIVED A COMPLAINT OF A MISSING ADULT, BRENDA YEAGER OF 8128 DINGESS AVENUE IN HAMLIN WV. SHE IS A SOCIAL WORKER AND WAS CONDUCTING HOME VISITS ON WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2008. THE STATE POLICE WAS ADVISED SHE HAD NOT BEEN SEEN OR HEARD FROM SINCE WEDNESDAY WHILE SHE WAS MAKING THESE VISITS.

THE STATE POLICE BEGAN A MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATION AND ON FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2008 THE BODY OF A FEMALE AND A VEHICLE OF THE SAME MAKE AS THE VICTIM’S WAS LOCATED IN A REMOTE AREA NEAR MOUNT UNION ROAD, HUNTINGTON, WV. THE STATE POLICE BEGAN INVESTIGATING THIS DEATH AS A MURDER INVESTIGATION AND WAS OF THE BELIEF THAT THE BODY DISCOVERED WAS THAT OF BRENDA YEAGER.

AS A RESULT OF THIS FINDING THE STATE POLICE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SEVERAL POTENTIAL WITNESSES AND SUSPECTS. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE BRENDA LEE YEAGER, THE VICTIM, HAD GONE TO THE RESIDENCE OF ROSEMARY FORNEY AND STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER JR. ON WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2008 FOR A HOME VISIT. THE VICTIM WAS THEN ATTACKED AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY STEVEN FOSTER JR. AND ROSEMARY FORNEY. THE TWO THEN KILLED THE VICTIM. THE VICTIM’S BODY AND HER VEHICLE WERE MOVED TO A WOODED REMOTE AREA A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE RESIDENCE. IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2008 THE BODY AND THE VEHICLE WERE BURNT IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO DESTROY EVIDENCE OF THE CRIME.

ON FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2008 THE STATE POLICE ARRESTED THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN CONNECTION WITH THIS MURDER:

1. STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER JR., AGE 23 (4293 MOUNT UNION ROAD, HUNTINGTON, WV) CHARGE: MURDER
2. ROSEMARY FORNEY, AGE 22 (4293 MOUNT UNION ROAD, HUNTINGTON, WV) CHARGE: MURDER
3. STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER SR, AGE 51 (427 ½ 28TH AVENUE, HUNTINGTON, WV)HE IS THE FATHER OF STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER JR.

CHARGE:3RD DEGREE ARSON, CONSPIRACY, DISPOSAL OF A BODY

UPON COMPLETION OF A CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION THE VICTIM’S BODY WAS SENT TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINERS OFFICE IN CHARLESTON FOR AN AUTOPSY AND FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ON GOING BY THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE POLICE.

Source: WV Metro News