In both murders, police began looking for a suspect, a man possibly in his middle 40s with short, tapered hair and a mustache. When "48 Hours" asked, officials wouldn't confirm or deny whether Frank Catroppa is a person of interest in Rachael's murder or whether he, Sheldon Jeter or anyone else has been cleared. On August 26, 1986, Jolene was walking home from Mercy Hospital in Scranton, after visiting her mother. Pennsylvania State Police have charged a man with criminal homicide after a man was found shot multiple times in Aliquippa on Friday. There was a pile of clothes laying on the floor next to his bed where he was sleeping. It's unknown whether authorities ever traced the source of the anonymous emails and text messages, but Lisa and Joe DelTondo say they have no doubt who sent out the damaging information. And with the help of CBS station KDKA consumer reporter Marty Griffin,Lisa fought for a refund of the dress deposit. 8:00 - 23:00 . The victim was shot seven times on the night of May 15 . Curiously, Lauren sent a text to Rachael even though Rachael was sitting in the same car. First published on May 18, 2019 / 11:02 PM. Lisa DelTondo [at cemetery]: Awe, look at that picture. He served several tours in Vietnam, was injured in the line of duty and was awarded two purple hearts. Don Couch contradicts that. Frank Catroppa: Absolutely not. He's like, "why not? On September 7, 1992, partial skull remains were found in Fairfield Township, Lycoming County, PA; it was determined to be homicide. This transaction was recorded by paper records and video surveillance. But the warrant application also states Sheldon failed to display any emotion when he was informed of Rachael's death. Jen Glovan: They had good times and they had bad times. QuickLinks. Him and Chief Couch was good friends, I guess. When Catroppa ran over to see what happened, she retaliated and broke a promise -- revealing that secret Rachael had begged her to keep. On November 18, 1968, shortly before 11:00 a.m., a Pennsylvania State Trooper, while on routine patrol along the Pennsylvania Turnpike spotted a male in a semi-seated position against a fence about a mile east of the Downingtown interchange in Uwchlan Township, Chester County. Theory 1 On or about Friday, February 5, 1999, the investigation was turned over to the PA State Police. Less than four minutes after Lauren says she drove off, Rachael wound up dead not by the side door of her house, but all the way at the foot of her driveway. So, it needs to be explained. Both defense and prosecution agreed to leave DelTondos name out of the jury selection process, but each potential juror was asked if someone close to them had been the victim of a crime. To us it looks like a hit. Pughs mother, Delma Pugh, told the court her family has endured long, sleepless nights following her sons death last year. State police have charged Sheldon Jeter Jr., 22, of Aliquippa . Joe DelTondo: Maybe that's why she felt safe, I don't know. It was late at night and she was with high school student Sheldon Jeter Jr. Rachael told the officers they were friends and just talking, but police also say she told them she didn't want her fianc to know. Jeter and Pugh were raised together by both families, they said, noting theres still no motive for the killing. Her migration to the USA was most likely in close proximity to the period between early childhood to the teenage years, and she likely spent a minimum of 5-10 years in the USA before her death. And of course the nationally famous case of "the Boy in the Box," which happened 60 years ago, yet still fascinates writers and sleuths and triggers flurries of police investigation. According to DelTondo her daughter was "Deathly afraid of police. Cpl. A motive is unknown at this time,. Erin Moriarty: Lauren Watkins is 17 years of age. Would never do that. Ask her what she was doing in the car with some kid at night." At 5:30 a.m. the following morning Wells' rental car was found out of gas and abandoned in the middle of Route 274 near New Germantown in Perry County, 35 miles from the motel. Her murder is still unsolved today, but Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier says the investigation is active. But Glovan confronted her friend. Catroppa's attorney would not confirm whether Catroppa is the subject of a grand jury investigation, and it's unclear exactly what he would be investigated for. The 2018 crime rate in Aliquippa, PA is 194 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 1.4 times lower than the U.S. average. What Glovan told Catroppa is that nearly a year earlier, on the same weekend when he was away with other women at the Super Bowl, Rachael had done something that had put her job and her relationship with Frank at risk. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. February 23, 2023 in Other. Frank Catroppa: No. BEAVER COUNTY, Pa. . I could tell. Two murders that occurred two years apart in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, stunned the tight-knit community and left them with many questions. She couldn't eat. Rachael was still living at home with Lisa and father Joe DelTondo. And then he goes, "Well what are you doing?" Steve Colafella: He was certainly a person of interest, I think, initially. This is a very active "COLD CASE HOMICIDE". Belcastro's theory was that Frank had something to do with it. Chief Joe Perciavalle: I told the chief I didn't feel comfortable givin' it to him. Asst. Jackie Belcastro | Rachael's aunt: I know my Rachael was afraid of them. The employee saw John Leonards taxi stop and a white male with dark hair, between the ages of 30-40 approached the vehicle. And I'm like, "Well, I don't want him to hear, like, I'm coming back" So I kind of just sent it to her like, I don't know, "go for a walk, stay in the car." Erin Moriarty: At some point, then, did you start talking to Rachel? Jen Glovan: I asked her, y'know, "why didn't you wanna move out?" At the time of her disappearance she was 47 years old, 55, and 190 lbs. The vehicle resembled a late 1980s to early 1990s version of the Dodge Daytona or a vehicle with a similar body style. Her assassination remains unsolved, but Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier says the inquiry is ongoing. Erin Moriarty: Kids don't always talk to their parents about their sex lives. And at that point I had stopped answering. Rachael DelTondo's tragic murder remained unsolved, just as Tyric Pugh was killed under eerily similar circumstances in May 2020. Asst. Sheldon Jeter Jr.'s uncle, Michael Moreland, says Sheldon was home the night Rachael DelTondo was killed. A grand jury has been hearing evidence. ", with the help of CBS station KDKA consumer reporter Marty Griffin. Surratt charted a radically different path when he returned home to Aliquippa from the rice paddies of Southeast Asia and began terrorizing communities during a killing spree unparalleled in. KDKA reports Jeter is facing criminal homicide charges after Pa. State police say he shot and killed. Perciavalle says that's because he heard about the encounter months after it happened, and although police found no evidence that Rachael had engaged in improper behavior, the assistant chief wanted a record of the event. Rachael's parents believe an obsessed Sheldon Jeter killed her. .Byrd was shot multiple times in a daylight. / CBS News, Produced by Judy Rybak and Stephanie Slifer, [This story first aired May 18. Erin Moriarty: Well, 'cause you were still dating her. And when Rachael wasn't with Bolton, she was spending time with former student, 17-year-old Lauren Watkins. Erin Moriarty: But it's just a coincidence, though, that, right after you get it, it's suddenly made public. I clearly indicated to both sides that the court would liberally grant the right to ask questions to each juror by both the commonwealth and defendants, he said. Frank Catroppa: She contacted me and saying that, you know, that people were bothering her or the, you know police --. Around 10:45 p.m. on Sunday, May 13, 2018, Rachael DelTondo was shot several times at close range at the foot of her parent's driveway. So, Percivalle says he first refused to give it to Catroppa. Jen Glovan: And she told me [sighs] that at, like, 11:00, 12:00 at night. Rachael's parents say they never saw evidence of drug use. The Pennsylvania State Police, Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit, Troop, K, Philadelphia, continues their investigation into the homicide of Denise Sharon Kulb. His murder remains unsolved. But strangely, it was written more than a year after the actual incident. She is not here for me to hug and kiss and love, not here. The female was most likely born and spent her early childhood in the Western to Central Region of Europe. Lisa DelTondo, Rachael's mother, believes Sheldon Jeter was involved in her daughter's murder. Lita Wolf and Diane Wolf had ended their shift at Hanover Foods Inc. 1550 York Street, Hanover, PA. . 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. I don't want him to think that I want him just for his money.". Wendy Chaney, 39, of Hagerstown, Md. Frank Catroppa: I was kinda just -- just shocked. Travel time from the vehicle to where Morgan Peters was found is 16.5 minutes going 65 mph. We're just talking" and that was it. He says he believed her. Lisa DelTondo: She was excited. Lisa DelTondo: She'd come in every night, sit at my bed and give me a synopsis of the whole day. WHAT YOU CAN DO: If you have information on this crime, any serious crime, or wanted person, call Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers Toll Free at 1-800-4PA-TIPS. Erin Moriarty: So you showed it to a lot of people? Contact reporter Chrissy Suttles at csuttles@timesonline.com or on Twitter @ChrissySuttles. Witnesses in the area stated that they saw a person matching Jolene's description enter an unidentified light yellow car, approximately one block from her family's residence on North Washington Avenue. More:Jury finds Sheldon Jeter guilty of murder. ", Frank Catroppa denies any involvement in Rachael DelTondo's death. Pughs younger sister, Layla Willis, said shes still in shock and disbelief over the death of her brother. On the evening of May 13, 2018, Mother's Day, Rachael's protector, Bolton, was out of town and Rachael decided to go out with Lauren. She also insists that Sheldon wasn't the only man fixated on Rachael. Asst. Facebook The night Rachael DelTondo was gunned down at the foot of her parent's driveway, there were already eight unsolved murders in the city of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. She's nice, genuine -- big hearted. Frank Catroppa: I don't think some of her family wanted her to still talk to me But she still did. Joe DelTondo: I think I would've heard it I was right in that chair where I always am. Erin Moriarty: And, at first, were you happy with the relationship? Frank Catroppa and Rachael DelTondo celebrated their engagement with a kiss in front of the Eiffel Towel, Sheldon Jeter was a star football player for Aliquippa High School, Lisa DelTondo said her daughter told her that she was cooperating in an ongoing investigation by state police into alleged corruption in the Aliquippa Police Department, and that she had received death threats. John Leonard was a World War II Veteran and had been a Prisoner of War for over 22 months. That's just ridiculous It's just Rachael. All that was also released in the cyber blast. So she started to not tell people that she was talking to me. And she told me that she didn't tell them a lot, but she knew she was, at some point, going to have to tell them more. Frank Catroppa: Yeah, so we went to Paris, we got engaged in -- in Paris. Tyric had been living on and off at the same home as Sheldon Jeter, and they considered each other family. The victim spent approximately one month in the US Army. Despite intense publicity and distribution of thousands of flyers, his identity and killer remain unknown. But, Frank Catroppa wasn't just given the report; he was handed a folder that also contained paperwork with sensitive personal information, like Social Security and driver's license numbers -- information never shared with the public. On Nov. 14, 2017,authorities in Perry County, Pa. charged a local man with the 1983 murder of his wife, providing a reminder that even decades-old "cold cases" are never totally forgotten. Merle reports that Diane Wolf's failure to return home since January 29, 1999, represents a significant departure in her behavior. She was on medication for a mental health disorder. On August 14, 1996, at approximately at 9:45 p.m., the body of Keith John Polerecki was found in a field located in Coxton Rail Yards, Duryea Borough, Luzerne County. He was found wrapped in a plaid blanked and inside a cardboard box that had once contained a bassinet of the kind sold by J.C. Penney. Glovan says she was stunned and furious. Like, it wasn't the Rachael that I knew [crying]. December 9, 2021 / 1:18 PM wear with pride synonym; he was messaging her on Facebook and said he needed someone to talk to and so, Rachael said, "OK, I'll come meet you.". He was planning to retire at the end of 2005, with 20 years of service. I'm not a police officer. Lisa called John Paul, who runs an online news service called the Beaver-Countian and said her daughter had damaging information about Frank Catroppa and claims of corruption in the Aliquippa Police Department. Lisa DelTondo, who insists that Jeter mistook Rachael's kindness as romantic love, says he became obsessed with her daughter. And they were just talking. WHAT YOU CAN DO: If you have information on this crime, any serious crime, or wanted person, call Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers Toll Free at 1-800-4PA-TIPS (1-800-472-8477). Heike also spoke fluent German. Lisa DelTondo: She couldn't sleep. Jen Glovan says she and Rachael were once "best friends.". Jen Glovan: Yeah I think that they still were on and off they were still just doing what they were always doing. Rachael DelTondo's death is the ninth unsolved murder in her hometown of Aliquippa. Penn State student Cindy Song, who was 21, disappeared after a party in State College on Oct. 31, 2001. Lisa put Rachael in touch with John Paul and while the two never met in person, he says he spoke to Rachael several times and she claimed to have information about city officials. ALIQUIPPA PA Crime Watchers is increasing the stakes for an unsolved murder in Aliquippa. It was believed Denise was transported to this location after she was murdered. September 7, 2019 / 11:12 PM I mean, I I -- I guess so. Chief Joe Perciavalle: Well, I think it was -- it was just so late at night and he was 17, still in school. Additionally, because it was believed that John Doe had served in the United States Marine Corps, a request for assistance was sent to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Lisa DelTondo: Every window in the house, he pounded on. Not long after that weekend, Catroppa says Rachael became paranoid. This is the last PSP can independently substantiate Diane Wolf's location. On February 11, 2004, between 11:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. she finished her shift at the Pump-N-Pantry. But Rachael's mother was concerned about the age difference. It feels like I have a hole in my heart, she said in her victim impact statement. During last months verdict, a courtroom spectator from Aliquippa recognized one of the jurors as a neighbor of DelTondo. 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. aliquippa, pa unsolved murders. John Paul: What you're seeing is patrolmen working not in one town they're having to work at two, three, or four different police departments to support themselves. Her murder is still unsolved today, but Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier says the investigation is active. Frankie didn't wanna do that. and -- came together. While driving, Lauren says they passed Sheldon Jeter in a car full of people. Michael Santicola | Sheldon Jeter's attorney: I don't think that that's true. Did you have anything to do with the death Rachael DelTondo? We are requesting the assistance of the public in attempting to locate a person with these characteristics who possibly had a connection to the victims or associates of the victims. Joe Perciavalle was Aliquippa's assistant chief of police when DelTondo was killed. Erin Moriarty: It states that they ask Sheldon for the clothing he was wearing that night and he gave them other clothing. I was at my apartment with my girlfriend. gr. To us it looks like a hit. Lauren Watkins [shakes her head no]: I did not. After Rachael's death, that investigation by state police into possible corruption in Aliquippa seems to have stepped up. Reports like this are not immediately accessible; to obtain one it requires a formal request. Lisa DelTondo says her daughter told her that she was cooperating in an ongoing investigation by state police, into alleged corruption in the Aliquippa Police Department, and that she had received death threats. WHAT YOU CAN DO: If you have information on this crime, any serious crime, or wanted person, call Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers Toll Free at 1-800-4PA-TIPS. He was pounding --. It was higher than in 67.6% U.S. cities. Using DNA evidence from this investigation, Snapshot produced trait predictions for the associated person of interest (POI). Heike was last seen in her driveway located on Fishing Creek Valley Road, West Hanover Township, Dauphin County, PA. Heike left behind her ID, purse, and medication. . He's currently working at Lowe's. One. Joe DelTondo: But she felt safe with him. There was nothing unusual, no unusual car, no person anywhere in sight. Surratt's confession led to resolutions in four unsolved homicide cases in the state. That all being said I continue to believe that what led to her death was the choices she made in her personal life. They stopped on the sidewalk by her friend's house on Myrtle Street in Scranton. Erin Moriarty: Why are you texting someone who's sitting right behind you? Frank Catroppa: Yeah. Sheldon wasn't the only person police initially questioned. She texted: "go for a walk ill come pick you up after." A college student then discovered him a few days later, yet he too waited a day before reporting it. Jen Glovan: I do not know, no. All rights reserved (About Us). Super Bowl weekend 2016, Frank was at the game with some buddies and they weren't alone. Sheldon Jeter Jr. was a member of the renowned high school football program in Aliquippa. Lisa DelTondo: Maybe we were pushing her. Lisa DelTondo: Rachael was dating a wonderful young man Frank was engaged. One year after Rachael DelTondo was shot to death, there are plenty of theories, but no arrests, leaving some to wonder if the case will ever be solved. The case was twice covered by America's Most Wanted, most recently in 2008. I miss my son so much.. Erin Moriarty: Is there any chance that Rachael did try to come in this side door? Every year, Catroppa throws himself a big birthday party at a bar in downtown Aliquippa. According to his attorney, he and Rachael DelTondo had a romantic relationship. And she still came around. The unknown suspect(s) burned the victims residence while he was inside, causing his death. Jeters defense team plans to file a post-trial motion and, eventually, an appeal with the Superior Court of Pennsylvania to decide whether a mistrial should, in fact, be granted. It was going to be their jury., Santicola agreed to forgo asking about the high-profile DelTondo case to avoid creating problems that didnt exist.. Frank Catroppa is Rachael DelTondo's ex-fianc. The crime was discovered after firefighters responded to the scene of a house fire. Jeter's attorney argues that if anyone knew what time Rachael was going to be home, it was Lauren Watkins. Between Tuesday, December 6, 1993, 10:00 p.m. and Wednesday, December 7, 1993, 1:00 a.m., Lynne Stansfield and Dale Wolf were murdered at 419 Linton Hill Road, Penn Township (Duncannon postal delivery), Perry County, PA. Last seen wearing: blue body shirt with design, blue jean vest, blue jeans and brown leather belt, knee socks, beige or tan leather boots with side zipper, glasses with initials "VLS" etched on one lens, beige or tan leather purse with long should strap. Scott was deceased at the scene and Shawn was transported from the scene and pronounced dead at an area hospital. The Beaver County Detectives Bureau has since taken it over. All callers remain anonymous and could be eligible for a CASH REWARD. Michael Santicola: I'm sure. All callers remain anonymous and could be eligible for a CASH REWARD. It was the third, and current chief, Robert Sealock, who decided the department should no longer handle Rachael's murder investigation. The two had recently reconnected. State Police located this gun and ammunition in Sheldon Jeter Jr.'s bedroom that matched the shell casings from the Tyric Pugh crime scene. The case of Ray Gricar, the Centre County district attorney who vanished in 2005. John Leonard was pronounced dead at the scene with cause of death being multiple gunshot wounds. Charlotte had been strangled and shot to death. He had messaged me on Facebook and was like, "Did I just pass you guys." Will Rachael DelTondo's killer or killers ever be found? As it turns out, there was a report and Perciavalle had a copy on his desk. Wells' change purse was on the ground by the car, money still inside. Erin Moriarty: How did you know he was drunk? She was just trying to help a teenager in need, she told Frank. Erin Moriarty: Did Sheldon Jeter see you? Chief Joe Perciavalle: He was upset. Sheldon's attorney insists it's not his client's fault that cops picked up the wrong clothes. And if you look at the way this girl was shot and if you look at the close range that she was shot, this was somebody who was comfortable with a gun somebody that did not waiver, did not have emotion involved in this. Among the many puzzling details in the case, investigators found Wells had driven 700 miles farther than the distance from Oklahoma to Carlisle, and had gone as far east as Bernville in Berks County before doubling back to Cumberland County. WHAT YOU CAN DO: If you have information on this crime, any serious crime, or wanted person, call Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers Toll Free at 1-800-4PA-TIPS. Frank Catroppa: There were some -- some girls on the -- on the trip. Rachael DelTondo was 33 years old when she was killed in 2018. He says it was an accident and meant for someone else. After supper, Rachael went for ice cream with friends. At the time he was wearing cut off blue jean shorts, white t-shirt, and sandals. I don't know.
Weiss Undiscovered Cryptos, Articles A
Weiss Undiscovered Cryptos, Articles A