CrimeJul 19, 2022
Nehal Modi Convicted of Grand LarcenyCrimeJul 20, 2022
Woman Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Death of PA Jeweler
Megan Hall was set to go on trial for charges related to the death of Patrick J. Murphy, owner of Murphy Jewelers, next week.
New Orleans—The woman charged with fatally stabbing a Pennsylvania jeweler in a New Orleans hotel room in 2019 has pleaded guilty, court records show.
Megan Hall, 28, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, armed robbery, and obstruction of justice in New Orleans Criminal Court on Monday, just a week before she was scheduled to go on trial for the killing of Patrick J. Murphy, owner of Murphy Jewelers in Pennsylvania.
As part of the plea deal, a second-degree murder charge was reduced to a manslaughter charge.
Hall faced a 25-year sentence for the three charges to which she pleaded guilty, according to court documents, but with the plea deal, all but 10 years have been suspended. She also receives credit for time served.
Murphy’s body was discovered inside a room at the Empress Hotel in the city’s Tremé neighborhood before noon on Feb. 28, 2019.
Court records said he had been killed by three stab wounds, one to his neck and two to his abdomen.
Video surveillance cameras at the hotel showed Murphy and Hall arriving together in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 28, according to the Orleans Parish District Attorney. Hall was then seen leaving the room alone and “briskly” walking out the front door a little more than an hour later.
Witnesses also reported hearing a man and woman loudly arguing around 3:30 a.m. inside the room Hall rented, followed by sounds of a struggle that lasted about two minutes.
Hall turned herself in days later and was arrested. She was then indicted in June 2019, but her trial was pushed back several times due to the pandemic.
Murphy was the owner of Murphy Jewelers, which dates to 1913 when Frank Murphy, a clockmaker and optometrist, opened his store in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.
Murphy and his wife, Kim, grew the business, opening a second store in Hamburg, Pennsylvania in October 2004. A third location was added in spring 2010 at the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, located in Center Valley.
Related stories will be right here …
Megan Hall, 28, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, armed robbery, and obstruction of justice in New Orleans Criminal Court on Monday, just a week before she was scheduled to go on trial for the killing of Patrick J. Murphy, owner of Murphy Jewelers in Pennsylvania.
As part of the plea deal, a second-degree murder charge was reduced to a manslaughter charge.
Hall faced a 25-year sentence for the three charges to which she pleaded guilty, according to court documents, but with the plea deal, all but 10 years have been suspended. She also receives credit for time served.
Murphy’s body was discovered inside a room at the Empress Hotel in the city’s Tremé neighborhood before noon on Feb. 28, 2019.
Court records said he had been killed by three stab wounds, one to his neck and two to his abdomen.
Video surveillance cameras at the hotel showed Murphy and Hall arriving together in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 28, according to the Orleans Parish District Attorney. Hall was then seen leaving the room alone and “briskly” walking out the front door a little more than an hour later.
Witnesses also reported hearing a man and woman loudly arguing around 3:30 a.m. inside the room Hall rented, followed by sounds of a struggle that lasted about two minutes.
Hall turned herself in days later and was arrested. She was then indicted in June 2019, but her trial was pushed back several times due to the pandemic.
Murphy was the owner of Murphy Jewelers, which dates to 1913 when Frank Murphy, a clockmaker and optometrist, opened his store in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.
Murphy and his wife, Kim, grew the business, opening a second store in Hamburg, Pennsylvania in October 2004. A third location was added in spring 2010 at the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, located in Center Valley.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Crime
The Latest
PodcastsAug 19, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLindenThe industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Mike Alexander To Succeed Scott Murphy as Jewelers Mutual CEO Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.
Policies & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In ProgramThe jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Zales Wants You to Wear Fine Jewelry Every DayThe new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingAug 19, 2026
Vasant Mehta, a Dedicated Diamond Industry Leader, Dies at 81Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
