Prosecutors accuse Pennsylvania man of killing wife while daughter slept nearby
Prosecutors say Jonathan Gatto strangled his wife, paediatrician Dr Julia Pederson, and set her body alight while their seven-year-old daughter slept nearby. The 41-year-old was found dead after a small fire at the family home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; investigators concluded she had died before the fire began.
Gatto, 42, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder, as well as arson-related offences, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and endangering a child. An autopsy found Pederson died from traumatic injuries and ruled her death a homicide; investigators said the fire was intentionally set. Gatto told police the couple were considering separation and described hearing a loud sound before the fire, according to an affidavit.
- A Pennsylvania paediatrician was found dead after a small house fire.
- Investigators say she died before the fire began.
- Her husband faces murder and other charges.
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Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania, a state in the north-east of the United States. In the US, prosecutors bring criminal charges on behalf of the state, while a defendant is presumed innocent unless proved guilty in court.
First-degree murder is among the most serious homicide charges under Pennsylvania law. Arson concerns the deliberate setting of a fire; other charges in this case relate to the handling of the body, evidence and the safety of a child.
The case involves the death of Dr Julia Pederson, a paediatrician, and her husband, Jonathan Gatto. Their seven-year-old daughter was at home, and the allegations have brought attention to the child’s safety as well as the criminal investigation.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Husband strangled pediatrician wife then set her body on fire while couple’s daughter, 7, slept nearby, prosecutors say”.