DA seeks death penalty in ex-Oakfield man's homicide case

Posted: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 12:32 am Updated: 12:39 am, Wed Nov 17, 2010.
DA seeks death penalty in ex-Oakfield man's homicide case By Scott DeSmit desmit@batavianews.com The Daily News Online 0 comments
A trial date has not been set in what is now a death penalty case against a former Oakfield man accused of murdering an elderly couple and who is a “person of interest” in two unsolved slayings in Genesee and Orleans counties.
Steven P. Rebert, 45, is charged with criminal homicide for the April 12 murders of Wayne and Vicky Shugar of Brockway, Pa.
Jefferson County District Attorney Jeffrey Burkett is seeking the death penalty against Rebert, a spokeswoman for his office said Tuesday.
Rebert does not have another scheduled court appearance until Jan. 5, where he will have a criminal hearing and when a trial date may be set.
Rebert, of Emporium, Pa., was arrested by Genesee County sheriff's deputies in Alabama on June 3. He was in possession of a switchblade knife and was committed to jail.
The charge was dismissed and Rebert was turned over to Pennsylvania state police, who on June 12 charged him with the double-slaying of a Brockway, Pa., couple, James and Vicky Shugar. The couple were found shot to death in the basement of their home.
An investigation led police to Rebert, a Clarence native who lived on-and-off with relatives in Oakfield.
Rebert also is charged with aggravated assault, robbery and burglary.
Investigators also discovered information on Rebert’s computers that showed he conducted searches regarding two unsolved murders: The Nov. 10, 2005 shooting of Bill Fickel, who lived near Rebert, and the 2007 slaying of Kevin Smith of Shelby, who lived less than two miles from Fickel and Rebert.
Genesee County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said “I’m not shocked” when told that Pennsylvania is seeking the death penalty against Rebert.
He said his investigators are continuing to follow leads in the Fickel case.
“But no, there is nothing new,” he said. “We’re still in the process of trying to locate a weapon and a potential accomplice.”
He said neither he or any investigators have attempted to talk to Rebert since his arrest and that “even if we do it couldn’t be used against him.”
A $100,000 reward remains for the arrest and conviction of Fickel’s killer or killers. A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Smith’s killer.