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Reaction After Man Charged With Killing Tamaqua Woman

ALLENTOWN—Investigators believe Anthony Heath is a killer. Heath, 24, of Allentown, is locked up at the Lehigh County Prison in Allentown, just a few bloc...

ALLENTOWN---Investigators believe Anthony Heath is a killer.

Heath, 24, of Allentown, is locked up at the Lehigh County Prison in Allentown, just a few blocks from where state police said he killed Angela Steigerwalt, 35, of Tamaqua.

Investigators said Heath and Steigerwalt had a sexual relationship.

Troopers said Heath admitted that late Friday night or early Saturday morning, he strangled Steigerwalt in his apartment on the second floor of this building in Allentown using an electrical cord.

Patricia Johnson lives right next door.

"I believe that he's guilty and I can only tell you that that Friday night before she was found on Saturday, I had out patient surgery that Friday so I was up, I was downstairs so i didn't bother my husband and there was so much activity on these stairs between 1:30 and 2 in the morning that I'd never heard before," said Johnson.

After killing Steigerwalt, investigators said Heath took her credit card and bought a lighter and lighter fluid, then took the body to an area in Jim Thorpe, in Carbon County where he set it on fire.

Steigerwalt was identified using dental records.

State police said the crime spree continued when Heath stole Steigerwalt's car and went to North Carolina, where he was arrested this week.

Karim Nema is Anthony Heath's landlord.

"I'm shocked. He comes, sits with me, talks, he's intelligent guy and I was shocked, I can tell you that. "

In addition to homicide, Heath faces charges including tampering with evidence, abuse of corpse, and theft.

"I'm glad that it's over with. I think it's a shame what happened, a shame," said Johnson.

State police said a Walmart bag with a receipt inside was found near the victim's body in Jim Thorpe.

That receipt led them to the store and the security video that they said shows Heath buying the lighter fluid and other supplies.

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