WYOMING -- Authorities in Luzerne County Thursday announced the arrest of a man in connection with a cold-case homicide.
State police said Anthony Spudis broke into the home of Gertrude Price, 97, on East Grand Street in Nanticoke, in November of 2013, ransacked the home, and beat Price to death.
During a news conference Thursday morning at the state police barracks in Wyoming, Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis announced the arrest.
"After four years of the investigation, this morning, thanks to the unending, diligent work by the Nanticoke city police, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Luzerne County detectives and prosecutors, we have arrested Anthony Spudis."
According to police, Spudis broke into Price's home that night through a basement window and burglarized the home and When he came in contact with Price, he proceeded to beat her to death.
An autopsy showed that Price suffered severe facial and head trauma due to stab wounds.
"It did rock the neighborhoods. the security of having your home invaded like that and especially an elderly person living on their own. Justice has been served and hopefully, he does his time. That was a horrendous thing that happened to her."
At the time of the murder, Spudis was living with his girlfriend at a house on Union Street.
In August of this year, investigators searched the basement and recovered evidence.
Chad Hicks lives across the street and remembers seeing a police presence at the home that day. To him, the news of the murder is mindboggling.
"When I found out about that, that was very jaw-dropping and for that person to think that they can just move down the street and hide? That catches up with you," Hicks said.
Spudis was locked up at a state correctional facility outside of Pittsburgh because of a string of burglaries. After his arraignment, he was taken to the Luzerne County Prison.
