HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – A man accused of bludgeoning his mother, sister and another woman in a deadly hammer attack on New York's Long Island has pleaded not guilty to murder.
Bobby Vanderhall is being held without bail after his arraignment Sunday.
The 34-year-old Vanderhall was arrested Saturday on murder charges in the deaths of his mother, Lynn Reichenbach-Vanderhall; his sister, Melissa Vanderhall; and visitor Janel Simpson.
Officials said a fourth woman managed to escape and summon help.
Nassau County police say Vanderhall had a history of emotional problems, and his mother had gotten a protective order against him and had thrown him out of their Hempstead home. Police say Vanderhall used a large hammer to break through the basement door, then attacked the women.
___
This story has been corrected to show that the case is being handled by Nassau County police, not Suffolk County police.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
