August 12, 2021
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Donald Meshey Jr., 32, of Lancaster, is charged with homicide, abuse of corpse and tampering with physical evidence. Investigators found a dismembered human head inside Meshey's freezer and a body inside a bedroom at his residence on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021.
A Lancaster man has been charged with homicide after authorities discovered he allegedly had kept a severed human head inside his freezer, police said.
Authorities received a phone call from a distressed person on Wednesday asking for a welfare check for family members at a residence along the 200 block of West Strawberry Street.
The person who called explained to police that Donald Meshey Jr., 32, had said there was a cadaver in one of the beds in the home and a head in the freezer. The caller had just been at the home and had spoken with Meshey, who allegedly showed her the human head in the freezer, which appeared to be the head of a family member.
When a police officer arrived at the home, he spoke with Meshey and was escorted to the kitchen, where he removed the human head from the freezer and showed the officer, authorities said. The officer immediately called for backup and secured the scene.
Detectives interviewed Meshey at the police station, where he said he had found a "cadaver doll" in his father's bedroom, which looked and sounded like his father. Meshey allegedly admitted to stabbing the "cadaver doll" for two to three minutes with a knife and then dismembered the body.
Authorities did not say when the alleged attack occurred and did not immediately identify the victim, pending confirmation from the Lancaster County Coroner's Office.
In addition to the homicide charge, Meshey is charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence.
Donald Meshey Jr.
Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Ryan Burgett with the Lancaster City Police at (717) 735-3412 or Lancaster City-County Crime Stoppers at (1-800) 322-1913.
