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Man Arrested in Connection With Wife’s Death

MILTON — Police have made an arrest in connection with a shooting death case from two years ago in Northumberland County. Police arrested Robert Thomas, 6...

MILTON -- Police have made an arrest in connection with a shooting death case from two years ago in Northumberland County.

Police arrested Robert Thomas, 67, Friday morning in connection with the death of his wife Patricia in April of 2012.

"Robert, did you kill your wife? Do you have anything to say about the charges?"

Thomas had nothing to say as he was led out of district court in Milton. He was charged with criminal homicide for his wife Patricia's death.

Investigators say on the morning of April 14, 2012, Robert Thomas called 911 and said someone broke into his house. He said he was hit in the head with an unknown object and his wife was shot.

State police say when Thomas was taken to the hospital that morning he was asked several questions, including what day it was. He responded by saying, "it's my lucky day."

According to court papers, the next day, Thomas told state police a different story. He said he accidentally shot his wife after he thought he heard an intruder and then staged the break-in.

"It's been really quiet around here for two years and didn't hear anything besides rumors and that kind of stuff, and all the sudden to hear the murder charges, we were kind of wowed that it went from rumors to all of a sudden murder charges," said neighbor Joshua Richard.

Richard and his family live next door to Thomas.

"We see him walking back and forth, down in front of his house, doing whatever, no interaction with him or anything like that, but just been out and about."

Other neighbors did not want to go on camera but say they thought since the investigation took more than two years, they believed Robert Thomas shot his 64-year-old wife by accident or got away with murder.

Northumberland County Assistant District Attorney Ann Targonski says that is not the case.

"It's been a long and ongoing investigation with the state police at Milton."

Targonski says state police were finally able to get sufficient evidence to file charges against Thomas, and initially the investigation focused on someone else.

"They were looking for a different individual but it did narrow down to Mr. Thomas."

The district attorney's office is not commenting on a motive for the crime at this time.

Robert Thomas was taken to the Northumberland County prison. He is scheduled to appear in court next month.

 

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