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Jury Selection in Clinton County Cold-Case Murder Trial

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. — A homicide trial is underway in the disappearance of a woman from Clinton County over 25 years ago. The man state police believe is to b...

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- A homicide trial is underway in the disappearance of a woman from Clinton County over 25 years ago.

The man state police believe is to blame for the woman's death was at the courthouse in Lock Haven on Tuesday for the start of jury selection for this long-awaited homicide trial.

Loyd Groves, 69, faces third-degree murder in the death of a woman who has been missing since 1991.

Several of the potential jurors already knew about the case or the people involved.

Groves has been charged with murder for the 1991 death of Kathy Heckel of Clinton County.

Authorities believe Groves and Heckel had a brief romance during the summer of 1991, and when Heckel broke things off, Groves killed her and got rid of her body.

We spoke with a man who was called for jury duty, who says he worked with Heckel and Groves at the International Paper Company in the early 1990s. He told us he made his mind up about what happened back when Heckel first went missing.

"I remember the day she went missing, didn't return to lunch. I remember the investigation. I know all the rumors," said John Packer.

Prosecutors say they have DNA evidence linking Groves to the killing in Clinton County. Heckel's body was never found.

Jury selection is expected to continue until the end of the week. The murder trial is scheduled to begin next Monday,

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