At the end of March 1977, Mrs. Jennie E. Barr, an elderly widow, was found dead in her den in her home in Tremont, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The cause of death was strangulation and she was also sexually assaulted. Investigators ruled the death a homicide.
This murder was the first of four that occurred in the Lykens Valley area in a less than three-year period between 1977 and 1979 – all of elderly widows.
The story of the discovery of the body through the revelation of the autopsy results, investigation and settlement of her estate is told through 12 brief stories that appeared in area newspapers.
Although a suspect was charged and brought to trial in 1981, he was quickly acquitted. As with the other three murders, this homicide remains unsolved.
Note: The 1981 trial will be featured in another series of posts.
From the Shamokin News-Item, 1 April 1977:
Police probe homicide in Tremont area
TREMONT – A 70 year old Tremont woman was the victim of an apparent homicide Thursday, according to a report today by state police at Pottsville.
The victim, whose body was discovered at 10:30 p.m. Thursday, was identified as Mrs. Jennie E. Barr, 20 N. Crescent St., Tremont.
State police reported that Mrs. Barr’s body was discovered by neighbors. The woman was found lying on the floor in the first floor den of her home. Wounds were reported on the woman’s forehead. State police reported that neighbors had been trying to contact the woman all day.
State police reported that the cause of death is unknown pending an autopsy scheduled for today at Pottsville Hospital. Mrs. Barr was pronounced dead at 10:50 p.m. by William E. Minning, Schuylkill County deputy coroner.
An investigation is being conducted by state police at Pottsville, the Tremont Police Department, and the Schuylkill County detective’s office.
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For all other parts of this story, see: Who Killed Jennie E. Barr?
News clipping/article from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.