Prayers for Shelly Nagle, sister of Sherry Leighty. While we know a new detective came on this over a decade old case....we know how much Shelly did to encourage the search for her answers for her sister. Our prayers.
_________________PENNSYLVA
Altoona man charged in daughter-in-law's 1999 death
Investigators confirm they've found skeletal remains
By Lindsay Ward and WJAC Web Staff
HUNTINGDON COUNTY, Pa. —
Two days after officials found skeletal remains of an Altoona woman who disappeared in 1999, Pennsylvania State Police charged her former father-in-law with criminal homicide in her death.
Huntingdon County District Attorney George Zanic held a press conference at the Huntingdon County Courthouse to "address significant events relating to the 1999 disappearance of Sherry Leighty."
Online court documents list an active charge of one count of criminal homicide against Kenneth W. Leighty, of Altoona. Leighty waived his preliminary hearing and a pretrial conference has been scheduled for September. He remains jailed without bail.
The 65-year-old man has been in jail since April on charges of attacking an officer when police tried to speak with him about the case.
Leighty owns land where crews had searched for Sherry Jean Leighty's remains since April 20. A search warrant shows investigators believe Leighty killed the woman and buried her there and Zanic confirmed some human remains and clothing were found there earlier this month.
Zanic said search teams found Sherry Leighty’s remains on Saturday, under or near a fence post at the family’s camp in Warriors Mark Township. Officials said that location is consistent with a confession Kenneth Leighty made to his son during a recorded phone interview.
Authorities have previously said Leighty was the last person to see his daughter-in-law alive when he drove her to work in Oct. 1, 1999.
Kenneth Leighty previously told police he dropped Sherry off at work the morning she disappeared and later went to work. A month later on Nov. 3, 1999, Sherry's father went to Altoona police and reported his daughter missing. He said his daughter may have gone to Maine, but said he's worried she hadn't been in touch with her three children.
The investigation went cold until August 2012, when a new detective took over the case. Cpl. Matthew Starr interviewed Sherry's siblings, who said that Kenneth Leighty had been caught groping Sherry in her sleep and peeping into her windows before she disappeared.
On Oct. 4, 2012, police interviewed Aaron Leighty, Sherry's ex-husband, and he admitted Sherry had a protection from abuse order against him when she disappeared but said he didn't know where she was.
A few days later, police interviewed Kenneth Leighty, who again said he dropped Sherry off at work the morning of her disappearance and added that he was driving a pickup truck.
On Oct. 25, police interviewed Sherry and Aaron's oldest son, who was just a child when his mother disappeared. He told police he heard that his mother is buried under an old outhouse on the 150-acre property in Huntingdon County belonging to his grandfather, Kenneth Leighty.
In April, Aaron Leighty allowed police to wiretap a conversation between him and his father. According to court documents, Kenneth admitted that he "did it" and that it was an accident. Kenneth went on to say he buried Sherry on his property under a fence.
Later that day, police went to Kenneth Leighty's house to ask him a few questions. When they tried to detain him for more questioning, police said he tried to run off, kicking and punching officers. He was arrested and jailed on charges of assaulting a police officer.
The next day, police served a search warrant for the Huntingdon County property, and on the land they found the same pickup truck that police believe Kenneth was driving the morning Sherry disappeared.
_________________PENNSYLVA
Altoona man charged in daughter-in-law's 1999 death
Investigators confirm they've found skeletal remains
By Lindsay Ward and WJAC Web Staff
HUNTINGDON COUNTY, Pa. —
Two days after officials found skeletal remains of an Altoona woman who disappeared in 1999, Pennsylvania State Police charged her former father-in-law with criminal homicide in her death.
Huntingdon County District Attorney George Zanic held a press conference at the Huntingdon County Courthouse to "address significant events relating to the 1999 disappearance of Sherry Leighty."
Online court documents list an active charge of one count of criminal homicide against Kenneth W. Leighty, of Altoona. Leighty waived his preliminary hearing and a pretrial conference has been scheduled for September. He remains jailed without bail.
The 65-year-old man has been in jail since April on charges of attacking an officer when police tried to speak with him about the case.
Leighty owns land where crews had searched for Sherry Jean Leighty's remains since April 20. A search warrant shows investigators believe Leighty killed the woman and buried her there and Zanic confirmed some human remains and clothing were found there earlier this month.
Zanic said search teams found Sherry Leighty’s remains on Saturday, under or near a fence post at the family’s camp in Warriors Mark Township. Officials said that location is consistent with a confession Kenneth Leighty made to his son during a recorded phone interview.
Authorities have previously said Leighty was the last person to see his daughter-in-law alive when he drove her to work in Oct. 1, 1999.
Kenneth Leighty previously told police he dropped Sherry off at work the morning she disappeared and later went to work. A month later on Nov. 3, 1999, Sherry's father went to Altoona police and reported his daughter missing. He said his daughter may have gone to Maine, but said he's worried she hadn't been in touch with her three children.
The investigation went cold until August 2012, when a new detective took over the case. Cpl. Matthew Starr interviewed Sherry's siblings, who said that Kenneth Leighty had been caught groping Sherry in her sleep and peeping into her windows before she disappeared.
On Oct. 4, 2012, police interviewed Aaron Leighty, Sherry's ex-husband, and he admitted Sherry had a protection from abuse order against him when she disappeared but said he didn't know where she was.
A few days later, police interviewed Kenneth Leighty, who again said he dropped Sherry off at work the morning of her disappearance and added that he was driving a pickup truck.
On Oct. 25, police interviewed Sherry and Aaron's oldest son, who was just a child when his mother disappeared. He told police he heard that his mother is buried under an old outhouse on the 150-acre property in Huntingdon County belonging to his grandfather, Kenneth Leighty.
In April, Aaron Leighty allowed police to wiretap a conversation between him and his father. According to court documents, Kenneth admitted that he "did it" and that it was an accident. Kenneth went on to say he buried Sherry on his property under a fence.
Later that day, police went to Kenneth Leighty's house to ask him a few questions. When they tried to detain him for more questioning, police said he tried to run off, kicking and punching officers. He was arrested and jailed on charges of assaulting a police officer.
The next day, police served a search warrant for the Huntingdon County property, and on the land they found the same pickup truck that police believe Kenneth was driving the morning Sherry disappeared.
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