A photograph taken in January 2007 of a member of the search party looking in the wooded areas along a road in Perry County, Pennsylvania, for any evidence in the missing person case of Elaine Pierson.
In early January, 2007, the community of Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was rocked by the arrest of Rochelle Laudenslager, who was raised there and had graduated from Upper Dauphin Area High School in the 1970s. She was charged with the first-degree murder of Elaine Pierson, whose body was found in a ditch in Perry County. The murder weapon was found hidden in the attic of Laudenslager’s mother’s house in Gratz. Prosecutors sought the death penalty because evidence showed that Pierson was subjected to torture in the process of being killed by Laudenslager. The story that came out over time was that Laudenslager and Pierson were former lovers and that Laudenslager was trying to get back together with Pierson, but Pierson was already in a relationship with another woman.
In a nine-part series of blog posts, the story of the murder, the investigation, the charges, and the eventual sentencing is told as it appeared in the pages of the Carlisle Sentinel. Because of the pain caused to Pierson’s many friends and neighbors as well as the recency of the crime, their names have been omitted from the story.
At the present time, Rochelle Laudenslager has served about half of the minimum of her 30 to 60 year sentence in state prison.
________________________________________________________
Part 2 – The Body is Found & Search Warrants Served
From the Carlisle Sentinel, January 7, 2007:
WOMAN’S BODY FOUND
Friends of Elaine Pierson think it’s her, but police have not yet made a positive identification
By David Blymire, Sentinel Reporter
Friends of a missing Perry County woman Saturday found a body with features closely matching hers herein a wooded area of Rye Township about three miles from her home, state police in Newport said.
The body was found just before 11:30 a.m. down an embankment off Lambs Gap Road near Idle Road, close to the Cumberland-Perry county line, state police said.
While the friends believe the body to be that of Elaine M. Pierson of Trout Lane, the body will neo be positively identified until an autopsy is completed today at Lehigh Valley Hospital, said Sgt. Gilbert Morrissey of Troop H in Harrisburg.
Remains Missing Persons Case
Morrisey said state police forensic and reconstruction units were called to the scene Saturday, but state police still consider it a missing person case.
State police earlier this week had searched her modern gray home perched on a hilly cul-de-sac in the woods a few miles west of Marysville and found the front door was unlocked but nothing had been disturbed. Inside were Pierson’s German shepherd, named Radcliffe, along with her cell phone, glasses and keys.
Pierson, 48, a saleswoman for Dun and Bradstreet, was reported missing on December 29, and more than 40 volunteers joined police and game officials in searching the rugged terrain around her home, the Associated Press reported.
One woman who knew Pierson said Saturday that finding the body finally brings some resolution to what has been a baffling situation.
“At least in finding her body there is a chance for peace for her friends,” said the [pastor] of Metropolitan Community Church of the Spirit. “At least they know the location and they know she is indeed in peace. Hopefully now there will be evidence enough for police to move forward in some way.”
[The pastor], who had joined those frantically combing the ridge for evidence of Pierson’s whereabouts on Wednesday, said she spoke to a member of the group Saturday who was “fairly certain” the body was that of Pierson.
She says the mood of the search parties was that people “didn’t want to find her and yet did,” holding out some hope that “somehow she would still be alive.”
[She] described Pierson as warm and personable, an outgoing, trusting soul who didn’t have bad things to say about people. She loved the outdoors and “loved to go hiking with her dog.”
__________________________________________________________
From the Carlisle Sentinel, January 8, 2007:
CORONER: WOMAN SLAIN
By Linda Franz, Sentinel Reporter
The death was called a homicide but officials have not yet conclusively identified the body of [the] woman found Saturday down an embankment in Perry County.
Coroner Michael Shalonis says the body found is likely that of Elaine Pierson, 48, who had not been heard from since a cell phone call the evening of December 27 [2006] and was reported missing December 29 [2006]. He says a determination of homicide was made by the way she was found and the cause of her death, which had not been released at press time.
The fully clothed body had been at the bottom of the embankment for several days.
[A man], who is a neighbor of Pierson on Trout Lane in Rye Township, says he’s “confident” the body found is that of Pierson. A positive identification could be made today by dental records.
Because he is a neighbor, [he] said, he searched Pierson’s property the day she was reported missing. He called her an “athletic, outdoorsy lady.”
“We knew each other,” he says. “She was very friendly and very active. She was on the rec board here. She jogged, she walked, she biked.”
More than 40 volunteers joined police and game officials during a two-day search last week that turned up nothing.
Pierson’s friends, who were conducting their own search, found the body Saturday morning in a wooded area of Rye Township about three miles from her home.
State police at Newport and Troop H in Harrisburg were not available this morning for comment.
____________________________________________________
From the Carlisle Sentinel, January 9, 2007:
SEARCH WARRANT SERVED
Investigation continues into murder of Perry County woman
By David Blymire, Sentinel Reporter
Investigators expanding their probe into the homicide of a Perry County woman Monday served search warrants in Dauphin County.
The contents of the warrants were sealed by Dauphin County Court, Perry County District Attorney Charles Chenot III said this morning.
State police said Monday they’re pursuing all leads to determine what happened to Elaine Pierson, 48, of Rye Township, whose body was found Saturday morning down an embankment off Lambs Gap Road near the border between Cumberland and Perry counties.
An autopsy was performed Sunday at Lehigh Valley hospital, but state police said Monday they cannot discuss the case until the body is positively identified, although police confirm “the body has the characteristics of Elaine Pierson.”
Sate police said in a release that they’re pursuing all leads in the death they’re now classifying as a homicide.
A determination of homicide was made by the way she was found and the cause of her death, Coroner Michael Shalonis told the Sentinel Monday.
The state police criminal investigation unit and Perry County District Attorney’s office have joined the investigation.
Chenot said he had not seen the search warrants, reported in a newspaper to focus on the home and vehicles of a Lower Paxton Township woman who helped search for Pierson’s body.
Chenot said court documents may be sealed early in an investigation to help police conduct interviews and to protect the identity of sources.
He said Monday the case appears to be a homicide. He also said one possible explanation of how her body came to be in the woods — that she was hit by a car — can be ruled out because her injuries were not consistent with a car accident.
Pierson was reported missing December 29. Her last known contact was a cell phone call the evening of December 27.
More than 40 volunteers joined police and game officials during a two-day search of Blue Mountain last week that turned up nothing.
Pierson’s friends, who were conduction their own search, found the body Saturday morning in a wooded area of Rye Township about three miles from her home.
__________________________________________________
From the Carlisle Sentinel, January 10, 2007:
HARRISBURG-AREA WOMAN FOCUS IN PROBE
By John Hilton, Sentinel Reporter (with contributions from Sentinel Reporter Tatiana Zarnowski)
All was quiet outside Rochelle Laudenslager‘s townhouse Tuesday afternoon, two days after police searched it looking for evidence connected to elaine Pierson’s homicide.
[A woman], who lives in an attached townhouse in Lower Paxton Township, said she has been Laudenslager’s neighbor for about five years.
“I got to know her as a neighbor,” she added. “She was a very nice neighbor. We looked out for each other’s property and so on.”
The police also questioned [the woman] after she returned Monday from an out-of-town trip. The neighbor said she knew nothing of Pierson’s disappearance when police knocked on her door.
“I thought something was wrong with [Laudenslager],” she said. “I thought she was missing or something.”
Investigators searched Laudenslager’s home Sunday night, as well as the Gratz Borough home of her mother, Betty Laudenslager. Police also searched a red Kia Sportage and a 2002 white BMW owned by Rochelle Laudenslager.
Police say Rochelle K. Laudenslager, 45, was among searchers who found Pierson’s body Saturday in a wooded area of Rye Township about three miles from her home on Trout Lane.
Authorities won’t comment on the nature of the relationship between Laudenslager and Pierson whose body was officially identified Monday evening from dental records.
Authorities have not released the cause of her death, but have called it a homicide investigation.
Pierson’s employer, New Jersey-based financial company Dunn and Bradstreet, issued a statement Tuesday, calling Pierson, “a well-respected member of our team for 26 years, and a friend to many throughout our organization.
“Our sincerest condolences go out to Elaine’s family during this difficult time, and we join them in mourning her passing.”
She worked most recently from home and also had worked from the company’s office in Wayne. Pierson attended Unity Church of Harrisburg in Enola.
Affidavits Sealed
Troopers Douglas Woodcock and Steven D. Arnold had to show a Dauphin County judge they had probable cause to search the Laudenslagers’ property, but affidavits for the search warrants were sealed for 60 days by a Dauphin County judge.
Police will not say whether Laudenslager is a suspect or a person of interest in the case.
Evidence Sought
According to court documents that are unsealed, investigators were looking for “human biological evidence” such as blood, hair, saliva and fingernails; firearms and related evidence; clothing; and “documentary evidence,” which could include letters, photos, sales receipts, e-mails and maps.
The troopers removed several items from Rochelle Laudenslager‘s Spring Knoll Drive townhouse on Sunday — including numerous photos, camera cards, a journal, a Aptiva computer tower, a Massanutten, Virginia, resort vacation package and the July 4 edition of the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
Calls Not Returned
Phone calls to Laudenslager were not returned. Her mother declined comment and her attorney could not be reached by press time.
Perry County District Attorney Charles “Chad” Chenot said police continue to investigate the case.
“With a murder investigation– you want to be really careful and make sure you have all your i’s dotted and all you t’s crossed,” he said.
Friends last heard from Pierson on December 27 when one of them had a cell phone conversation with her around 8:15 p. m. They reported her missing December 29.
Authorities and volunteers spent two days last week searching 1,000 acres of wooded land near Pierson’s home, but didn’t venture to where friends continued their search independently about 11:30 a. m. Saturday.
__________________________________________________________
From the Carlisle Sentinel, June 12, 2007:
PIERSON PROBE CHECKS FRIEND’S WORKPLACE
By John Hilton, Sentinel Reporter
State police moved moved their investigation into a Perry County woman’s death to Cumberland County Thursday — searching the workplace offices of a friend who has become a focus of the probe.
Police searched the Highmark Inc. offices and computers used by Rochelle K. Laudenslager, 45, who had an unspecified relationship with Pierson. Highmark is located at 1800 Center St. in East Pennsboro Township.
According to court documents, police searched Laudenslager’s computer, telephone logs, billing statements and other items. The state police could not be reached for comment on the search at press time.
A probable cause affidavit requesting the search warrant was sealed for 30 days by a Cumberland County judge.
Police say Laudenslager was among searchers who found the body of Elaine Pierson Saturday in a wooded area of Rye Township about three miles from her home on Trout Lane.
Her attorney, George Matangos, was unavailable for comment this morning.
On Sunday afternoon, police searched the Lower Paxton Township townhouse and two vehicles owned by Rochelle Laudenslager, as well as the Gratz Borough home of her mother, Betty Laudenslager.
Meanwhile, a funeral service for Pierson is slated for 3 p. m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Phoenixville, with visitation for an hour beforehand. She was a Phoenixville native.
Authorities won’t comment on the nature of the relationship between Laudenslager and Pierson, whose body was officially identified Monday evening from dental records. Authorities have not released the cause of her death.
Police will not say whether Laudenslager is a suspect or a person of interest in the case.
Friends last heard from Pierson on December 27 when one of them had a cell phone conversation with her around 8:15 p. m. They reported her missing December 29.
Authorities and volunteers spent two days last week searching 1,000 acres of wooded land near Pierson’s home, but didn’t venture to where friends continues their search independently about 11:30 a. m. Saturday.
______________________________________________________________
News articles and photo obtained through Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.