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Gregory Gerrod Greene Jr. — who was released from prison for raping a child in 2016 after serving four years— had a protect from abuse order filed by his sister which was supposed to prevent him from going to his mother's home, DA Chardo explained. But Greene had previously violated a PFA filed by his sister Brittonie Meredith in January. For that offense, he was detained, court documents show, but then was released on Feb. 2, just one week before his vicious attack on his family, as Daily Voice reported at the time.
Despite the PFA, Greene stole a running Dodge Charger he found outside a home in Swatara Township around 5 a.m. on Feb. 9, 2022. He then drove to his mom's home at 1345 Liberty Street, Harrisburg, and entered it as his family was sleeping, according to the DA's release.
First, he entered the bedroom of his sister Brittonie Meredith and shot her in the face. Then he went to the next room "down the hall and shot his other sister, Meredith Greene, multiple times" but before Meredith succumbed to her injuries she went to her mother's bedroom and closed the door behind her "likely saved her mother's life by doing this," Chardo said. Former Councilwoman Reid suffered a stroke in 2021 and Meredith Greene had been taking care of her, as Daily Voice previously reported.
Next Greene went to the third floor of the home and found Meredith Greene' fiance Tyler Thames and shot and killed him. Finally, he got to Greene and Thames's daughters' bedroom. He attempted to shoot the older daughter, but discovered he was out of ammunition so instead he stabbed her "in the neck and shoulder and threw her down the stairs." He went on to stab the younger sister in the neck, as detailed in the release.
During his rampage, "Brittonie Meredith was able to run out the front door and alert state narcotics agents who were serving a search warrant across the street," as stated in the release.
While fleeing the scene of the stabbing "Greene struck Officer Jason Heckendorn of the Lower Swatara Township Police Department as he was putting down stop sticks. Officer Heckendorn was treated at the Hershey Medical Center for an injury to his knee," Chardo said. Greene was ultimately taken into custody after a pursuit in which he struck multiple vehicles— including a school bus— along the way, as Daily Voice reported at the time.
On Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, Judge William T. Tully accepted his pleas of "guilty but mentally ill to two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder, burglary, and other offenses," according to the DA's release. "Judge Tully imposed consecutive life sentences and a consecutive term of 21½ to 45 years in a state correctional institution."
The fundraiser to help the family is still active on GoFundMe.
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