Pennsylvania Woman Charged With Harassment And Aiding Boyfriend's Suicide

Mandie Rose Reusch, a 35-year-old woman from South Greensburg, Pennsylvania, is accused of urging her estranged boyfriend to take his life. After an investigation that spanned nearly two years, on June 13, 2023, she was arrested on the felony charge of aiding suicide in the death of 37-year-old Kevin Metzger, her ex who died by suicide on June 18, 2021. She was also charged with harassment, a misdemeanor, according to a statement from the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office.

Authorities found a letter they believe to be written by Metzger inside his apartment after he died. They also found Facebook messages he posted publicly that provided details of the “trail of torment and solicitation,” the statement explained.

Metzger’s extreme distress came in the wake of a series of “heinous and graphic” messages from Reusch that were “continuous and unrelenting”. She allegedly told him to take his own life multiple times. She harassed him and sent disturbing messages between June of 2020 and June 18, 2021. These messages didn’t stop until Metzger’s death.

District Attorney Ziccarelli shared, “Mr. Metzger may still be here today if those messages did not influence and encourage him to take his own life.”

Metzger and Reusch have a child together, and in multiple messages, Reusch used this against him. She taunted him, saying that he would “never ever see” their child again. She also sent a message saying that she hoped he would kill himself because their child “would be better off not even knowing you,” according to Trib Live.

"This is the next level or most extreme amount of bullying I've seen, read about, heard about, where somebody is constantly telling someone to end their life," Trooper Steve Limani said, reported CBS Pittsburgh.

Phil DiLucente, Reusch's lawyer, insists that she is innocent. He told PEOPLE, “It was an emotional relationship between two individuals that happens every day in this country. There were texts that were exchanged that were emotional and at times could be considered mean and maybe to some even immoral but considering this a crime when there are no methods or means described by this individual to have this transpire just seems inappropriate.”

He added, “Suicide is a very tragic and hurtful thing to have anyone suffer. We take it very seriously and it is even more upsetting and troubling that somehow Ms. Reusch is being considered responsible for this. There are always two sides to a story."

A preliminary hearing is set for Reusch on June 27.

District Attorney Ziccarelli shared, “Suicide is never the solution. There is help available, you can call 9-8-8 or the National Suicide Prevention hotline at 800-273-8255, or you can text TALK to 741741.”