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Police: Woman Stabbed To Death By Daughter, Stuffed In Trash Bags

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- According to court papers, the victim was stabbed multiple times by her daughter before her body was placed inside garbage bags with the help of her daughter's boyfriend.

Both suspects are facing multiple charges and are being held at the Allegheny County Jail.

A cardboard sign was hanging outside Brenda Johnson's, 58, Bessemer Avenue apartment door when KDKA's Amy Wadas stopped by.

Police found her body there Thursday night.  Someone wrote "Brenda is not here. Anybody caught here will go to jail."  The note was made to look as if it were from the owner and East Pittsburgh police.

Johnson's daughter, Catherine Grier, 19, and Grier's boyfriend, Keith Blackman, 23, are behind bars charged in the crime.

"Like I can't imagine anyone wanting to kill their parents, anyone wanting to kill their kids.  It makes no sense to me at all," neighbor Dave Collins said.

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"When I found out it was allegedly the daughter, that's even crazier," neighbor Tassie Smith said.

The criminal complaint says Grier stabbed her mother multiple times with a kitchen knife during an altercation the week before.

Grier told police she became scared and called Blackman.

Blackman came to the apartment and allegedly helped put Johnson's body inside garbage bags.

"It's a shocker to me because she was a really nice lady. I would just see her at the bus stop.  Going to work seeing her at the store," Collins said.

Johnson's body was found during a welfare check.  It appears Johnson, Grier and Blackman were all staying in the apartment.  We reached out to family members but they didn't want to go on camera.

"I do know one of her sons. He's a good friend of mine. I gotta really send my condolences out to him," Collins said.  "he and his mom were like really close."

Grier has been charged with criminal homicide.  Blackman faces multiple charges including tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse.  Their preliminary hearings are scheduled for next month.

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