Investigators Working Overtime, But No Closer To Solving DelTondo Murder
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BEAVER COUNTY, Pa. (KDKA) – There are no arrests in the Mother's Day murder of teacher Rachael DelTondo, but authorities are logging massive overtime in search of the shooter.
Nearly two months after DelTondo was gunned down in her mother's driveway, detectives seem focused on on-again, off-again boyfriend Sheldon Jeter. Despite the relationship, Jeter's attorney Michael Santicola says there is no evidence linking his client to the crime.
"Miss DeTondo had relationships with several different people, friends and people who was dating and I have not heard any of them had anything to do with this crime or linked by evidence in any way," Santicola said.
The last week, warrants were issued for Jeter and two others to supply investigators with their DNA.
"Sheldon was one of the people that was issued that warrant and immediately cooperated, contacted the detectives and did the swab right in my office," Santicola said.
Detectives are seeking to match that DNA with some type of evidence. They took swatches of carpet from Jeter's car and they are trying to find the origin of a letter claiming to have witnessed the murder. Detectives believe the letter is a forgery but still want to find out who wrote it.
"I don't know if this DNA is really going to be indicative of the crime itself," Santicola said. "But perhaps it would be indicative of who wrote the letter, if someone in fact did write the letter, is it someone who is not telling the truth."
The district attorney told the county commissioners that detectives have logged more than 400 hours of overtime on the case but they don't appear any closer to an arrest.
"We know they are nowhere closer to finding a witness, nowhere closer to finding a murder weapon, and no closer to finding a motive in this case," Santicola said. "We certainly hope they are. We hope they get to the bottom of what happen because we know Sheldon was not involved."
And so, after all this time, investigators are still hard on the trail though the end is nowhere in sight.