PA - Six Wise family members murdered in Leola home, 12 April 2006

[SoccerMom]

http://www.wjactv.com/news/8664112/detail.html

Here's a little bit more information..and this is a local news site...I'll keep checking it.

Actually, that isn't really a local site. This is the closest one (I hope I link this correctly) www.wgal.com That is the Lancaster news station. Leola is a few minutes from Lancaster.
Obviously I am local and we're hearing a lot about this. There is also www.lancasteronline.com, which is the newspaper's site, but that one isn't usually as up to date as WGAL is.
HTH

 

[Linda7NJ]

Press conference at 11:30 EST on Fox News

 

[Linda7NJ]

21 year old relative arrested ( son or grandson of homeowner who was in NY)


3 generations dead

 

[Linda7NJ]

all 6 were found in the basement

 

[SoccerMom]

It looks like the victims were the grandmother, aunt, and cousins of the (alleged) murderer, Jeffrey Wise. The youngest 5 years old.

 

[Linda7NJ]

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=4081014

 

[SieSie]

CBS 21 News has just learned the names of the six people found murdered in a Leola home. Lancaster County District Attorney Don Totaro has identified the victims as:

-Emily Wise, 64
-Wanda Wise, 45
-Arlene Wise, 30s
-Skyler Wise, 19
-Jesse James Wise, 17
-Chance Wise, 5

A relative of the family, 21 year old Jesse D. Wise, is charged with the 6 homicides. Police say he is the grandson of Emily Wise and has spent time at the home on 81 East Main Street.

Police believe Wanda and Arlene Wise are sisters and that Jesse James, Skyler, and Chance are their children.

Emily's husband, who is the grandfather of the victims and the suspect, was in New York when his family was murdered. He has returned to the area and police say he is fully cooperating in the investigation.

East Lampeter Township Police Chief John Bowman says the victims all died of multiple traumatic injuries. Full autopsies are scheduled for today.

Source: WHPTV

 

[christine2448]

Unbelievable.

 

[Hbgchick]

Leola is about 10 miles from where the Borden/Ludwig murders took place just a few months ago. It's really unbelievable - if you know the area even more so.

 

[englishleigh]

This guy either didn't act alone or he had a more substantial weapon than a hammer. Looks like the 17 yo and 19 yo cousins could have taken him together, unless he had a gun or something.

This is so very, very sad.

 

[cathieq]

Jesse Wise: extensive criminal record, theft. His grandparents had most probably bailed him out of trouble many times. Like someone here once said, from burglary to murder is a mighty big step.

What is the world coming to and how much worse can it get? Murdering and abusing family, preying on children, no remorse...If you can't trust family, who can you trust?

 

[cathieq]

Found a local forum where this is posted. Might offer some "local" comments and information as this investiation goes on.

http://talkback.lancasteronline.com/index.php?showforum=43

Thanks for the link, Shadow. Information there directed me to Jesse Wise's criminal record. Thanks again.

 

[dark_shadows]

Click on the highlighted names for photos




Jesse D. Wise, 21, has been charged with homicide in connection with the deaths of six of his family members at his grandparents' home.


Wise was shackled around his wrists and ankles as he appeared Thursday afternoon before a judge, who ordered him held without bail.


Wise's 64-year-old grandmother, Emily Wise, two of her daughters and two of her grandchildren, ages 5 and 19, were identified as the victims.


The victims are listed as follows:

• Emily Wise, 64, suspect's grandmother
• Wanda Wise, 45, suspect's aunt
• Arlene Wise, 30, suspect's aunt
• Skylar Wise, 19, suspect's cousin
• Chance Wise, 5, suspect's cousin
• Jesse James Wise, 17, suspect's cousin

Authorities said some of the bodies were wrapped in sheets and blankets in the basement of the house in the tiny community of Leola. They found blood, bone fragments and a hammer upstairs.


A pathologist listed the cause of death for all victims as multiple traumatic injuries.


According to a search warrant, three bodies were found piled on the basement floor, each wrapped in sheets and blankets. A fourth body was found at the bottom of the basement steps. Police would not say where the fifth and sixth bodies were found.


The Associated Press reported that one body was found in the back yard. It's not clear where the other body was.


Police are making arrangements for the elder Jessie Wise to return from New York.


The warrant also lists other details about the crime scene:
Dark marks found on bedroom walls and ceiling
Hair and bone fragments found upstairs
Hammer found in bedroom


NEWS STORY

 

[Tristan]

"A pathologist listed the cause of death for all victims as multiple traumatic injuries."

What does THAT mean??


How awful....what could possibly have been the motive?

 

[dark_shadows]

More with video on Foxnews

 

[dark_shadows]

"A pathologist listed the cause of death for all victims as multiple traumatic injuries."

What does THAT mean??


How awful....what could possibly have been the motive?

Hi Tristan,
Here is more;
Police said three of the victims were hit in the head with a blunt metal object and three others were strangled, though they wouldn't comment on a motive. The bodies were placed in the basement of the family home.

The six victims, some wrapped in sheet and blankets, were found Wednesday, along with scattered bits of hair, blood, bone fragments and a hammer, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in the case.


In a guitar case at the home, police found two 17-inch pieces of metal that appeared to have blood on them. The objects were wrapped at one end with cloth and "had the appearance of a homemade weapon/club, capable of causing death if used as a weapon," according to the affidavit.

 

[concernedperson]

Someone just snapped. But, it doesn't end there. Many, many more clues.This is another tip of the iceburg. Was someone not noticing aberrant behavior? Was someone in denial? Why were they so compliant? Why were 6 people killed?

 

[dark_shadows]

Court records indicate Wise was familiar to police. More than a dozen charges are pending against him in the county, including burglary, theft, vandalism, assault and robbery.

In September, police used a stun gun to subdue Wise after he allegedly punched a man and stole $20 from him at a fair, according to the records.


CNN

 

[SieSie]

The bodies had been lying there for at least three days, said prosecutors.

All six victims were found lying in the basement, according to a search-warrant affidavit filed in the case.

Several of the bodies were wrapped in blankets and sheets,which apparently had been stripped off the beds in the house. They were piled in the middle of the basement.

One of those bodies had obvious head wounds.

Another body was wrapped in a comforter, which had been tied with a telephone cord, and was lying at the bottom of the steps. Just the feet and lower legs were visible sticking out from the comforter.

Source: Lancaster Online

I thought earlier accounts said that 4 bodies were in the basement, 1 in the yard, and 1 body found not disclosed where - but this article says that all 6 were in the basement.

I also read that 3 were strangled and 3 were bludgeoned to death.

 

[Shadow205]

There was already a thread on this. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38468
Perhaps one of the mods would be kind enough to combine them.