The quiet town of Oil City, Pennsylvania, has been rocked by the brutal rape and murder of 76-year-old Marcy Suzette Nellis. The great-grandmother was out walking on a bike trail near her home when she was attacked and killed by a convicted sex offender, 59-year-old David Allen Bosely.
Nellis was reported missing on March 26, and after a 12-hour search involving over 100 trained first responders and the Pennsylvania State Police’s Aviation Unit, her body was found the next morning in a wooded area along a bike trail near Clarion University’s Venango Campus.
The criminal complaint revealed that additional photographs of the area where Nellis was found showed evidence of “drag” marks and dense brush and debris leading to the Allegheny River.
An autopsy conducted by the Erie County medical examiner concluded that Nellis had died from asphyxiation caused by strangulation and that she had been sexually assaulted. Further evidence, including bodily fluids and DNA swabs from her neck, was gathered during the autopsy. A rape kit was collected.
Bosely was immediately considered a person of interest after law enforcement found shoe impressions at the crime scene. Surveillance was set up around his home, located in walking distance of the crime scene, and he was subsequently arrested and charged on April 6.
Despite denying any involvement in Nellis’ death during his interview with the police, Bosely was charged with several crimes, including homicide, rape by forcible compulsion, abuse of a corpse, aggravated indecent assault, and kidnapping by the Venango County District Attorney’s Office.
Records show that Bosely was previously convicted in 2000 of aggravated indecent assault and attempted rape and has been required to register as a sex offender since then.
Bosely is currently being held without bail in the Venango County Prison until his next court appearance on April 19.
The tragedy has left the town of Oil City in shock and disbelief. Nellis was an active member of Good Hope Lutheran Church, and her obituary described her joy playing bridge with friends and spending time with her family, especially her four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. The case highlights the importance of protecting vulnerable members of society from sexual predators and the need for stricter penalties for those who commit such heinous crimes. As the investigation continues, the community mourns the loss of Marcy Suzette Nellis and demands justice for her tragic death.