Published: April 04, 2009 12:21 am      

Jerome man held in death of wife

JEROME — A Jerome man was arraigned late Friday night on a charge that he fatally shot his wife at her home earlier in the day.

William A. McTonic, 73, of the 100 block of Railroad Avenue, was brought before District Judge Sandra Stevanus, of Confluence. After his arraignment, he was taken to the Somerset County Jail.

A district judge cannot set bail on homicide charges.

The body of Ruth Anne Henderson-McTonic, 73, was found on the back porch of her School Avenue home by relatives around 9:30 a.m., said Conemaugh Township police Chief Pete Barclay.

The victim had been shot twice in the upper chest with a .22-caliber firearm, police said.

The couple had been married only for a couple of weeks and were living in different residences, Barclay said.

Conemaugh Township police Officer Michael Popma and Sgt. Vincent Zangaglia wrote in the criminal complaint that a daughter said her mother had married the defendant just a few weeks ago and had begun to end the relationship.

The complaint said McTonic became upset and made threats to the victim and her family as well as threatening suicide.

Police said neighbors of the victim heard what they believed to be three gunshots around 9:30 p.m. Thursday. The shots were not loud and residents disregarded the sounds, believing they came from a nearby target shooting club, police said.

McTonic was apprehended at about 12:15 p.m. in Somerset after being stopped in a vehicle by Somerset Borough police.

In plain view on the back seat was a gun case that contained a rifle and a revolver that McTonic said he was shooting on Thursday along with other firearms, including a .22-caliber gun.

Police then executed a search warrant of his home and found a .22-caliber revolver and several rounds of .22-caliber ammunition as well as three empty .22-caliber shells, the complaint said.