News - National
Former pastor charged with killing wife
Posted: Sep 13, 2010 11:31 AM by Greg Boyce
Updated: Sep 13, 2010 1:19 PM
TANNERSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - Police say a former pastor from Pennsylvania killed his second wife and staged a car accident to cover it up, and authorities are now re-examining his first wife's death, too.
Arthur Burton Schirmer, 62, was arraigned Monday in Tannersville on a criminal homicide charge in the July 2008 death of Betty Schirmer, 56. Police say Arthur Schirmer claimed he got in an accident when a deer ran in front of his car, killing his wife. Her death was initially ruled an accident. Police reopened the case after the husband of Arthur Schirmer's mistress committed suicide.
Investigators now say Betty Schirmer was already injured before the crash and that they found her blood in a parsonage garage. Police are now re-examining the 1999 death of Schirmer's first wife.
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