Husband Allegedly Confesses To Murder of Elderly Woman In Northeast Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Eyewitness News is told the husband of an elderly woman killed in Northeast Philadelphia early Monday morning has allegedly confessed and is being held in custody as a possible suspect in his wife's murder.
It is a stunning turn of events unfolding here for neighbors. Many refuse to believe the man they know is capable of killing his wife.
Neighbors of 74-year-old Louis Hartegen are in absolute disbelief.
Just a few hours earlier they were holding a prayer vigil for Louis who was in the hospital and they shed tears for his deceased wife Judith.
Late Monday night, sources tell Eyewitness News Louis allegedly confessed to killing his 74-year-old wife.
Earlier in the day, police say Louis pointing out another man and identified him as the person who broke into their apartment early Monday morning on Castor Avenue and beat his wife to death, while also beating him up.
Philadelphia Police responded to a reported home invasion at about 2:20 a.m. inside an apartment in the 6700 block of Castor Avenue in the city's Castor Gardens section.
Investigators initially believed the intruder broke into the apartment through a second floor rear bedroom window and brutally attacked a 74-year-old woman and her husband, also 74-years-old.
She was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim's husband was taken to Aria Health's Torresdale Hospital in stable condition with injuries to his head and face.
Philadelphia's Crime Scene Unit dusted for fingerprints and collected evidence in the back of the home Monday morning.
Neighbors say Louis had trouble walking and believe he wasn't physically able to kill his wife.
Friends also point to a screen window that was cut and boards that were knocked out on the couple's back deck. But from what sources indicate, that may have been just an attempt to throw off investigators.
"You can see they were just a happy old couple," neighbor Jamie Padilla.
Eyewitness News spoke to neighbors earlier Monday.
"It's just really, really sad, two beautiful people," said Neighbor Victoria Brunson.
Brunson says the 74-year-old husband is a successful business owner in the area, and a career veteran. Brunson added that the couple was well liked by all and neighbors only have good things to say about them.
"Ever since I moved around here, he just took me in with open arms, him and his wife," said Brunson. "They were devoted to one another."
The incident remains under police investigation.
