PA LINDA STOLTZFOOS: Missing from Lancaster County, PA - 21 June 2020 - Age 18 *Found Deceased**GUILTY PLEA*

Amish teen goes missing after church event in Lancaster County: Police
Police in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania are searching for an Amish teen who did not return home from a church event.

"We don't know specifically that there was any foul play involved at this point in time," East Lampeter Township Police Lt. Matthew Hess said.

Police said the family of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos reported her missing Monday, after she didn't return to her family's home in the rural village of Bird-in-Hand following the church event the day before.


"There was no indications that she intentionally was leaving, meaning no one is giving us any of that information," Hess said.

On Monday afternoon, dozens of agencies teamed up blocking off roads, giving Amish residents rides to and from staging areas. Community members signed up at the local fire department to search fields, barns and buildings.

Amish teen who vanished after church event still missing in Lancaster County: Police

An Amish teen has been missing for nearly a week after police say she vanished following a church event in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

6abc.com

LINDA STOLTZFOOS is still missing from Lancaster County, PA since 21 June 2020, even though there's been an arrest in her disappearance!

Police said the family of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos reported her missing Monday, after she didn't return to her family's home in the rural village of Bird-in-Hand following the church event the day before.

www.crimewatchers.net

 

[GrandmaBear]

Linda needs to be found, can't believe she's still out there

It's sad they haven't found her and this case has had, it sounds like, more searches than many due to the Amish community helping.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Seven years of Dateline's Missing in America: 156 still missing

Dateline NBC's social and digital series 'Missing in America' began on December 5, 2013, following a question the night before to our Facebook community, "Do you know anyone who has simply vanished?" The response was overwhelming. Since that first post, every week we have tried to feature the...

www.nbcnews.com

A man has been arrested in the kidnapping of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos, who has been missing since Sunday, June 21, 2020. In July, police arrested Justo Smoker, 34, of Paradise, Pennsylvania. They examined video from a homeowner’s security system that shows what they believe to be Smother’s vehicle near where a woman, believed to be Linda, is seen walking along Beechdale Road near her home. Authorities traced the car to Smoker and executed a search warrant. Officials have not released what was foundin their search. Smoker is charged with felony kidnapping and a misdemeanor charge of false imprisonment. Linda has not been found. She was last seen at a farm on Stumptown Road in Lancaster County, after attending a church service. When Linda didn’t make it to her youth group later that evening, her parents became concerned and contacted the police. A Facebook page called “Amish Girl Missing - Linda Stoltzfoos” has been created to aid in the search for Linda. Several photos and videos have been shared to the page of community members volunteering to help with the search. Linda is described as 5'10", 125 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes. Investigators are asking anyone who might have seen Smoker or his red Kia Rio sedan - license plate KYB-9713 - around the time Linda was abducted, or in the days after, to contact East Lampeter Township Police Department at 717-291-4676 or to submit a tip on the Crime Watch website.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Homicide charge filed in case of missing Amish girl

Justo Smoker had already been charged with kidnapping Linda Stoltzfoos as she walked home from church in June.

www.pennlive.com

Homicide charge filed in case of missing Amish girl​

The man who had been charged with kidnapping an Amish girl in Lancaster County is now facing charges of criminal homicide.

The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday that police have filed criminal homicide charges against Justo Smoker, who had previously been charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment in connection with the disappearance of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos.

“In consideration of the evidence collected over the past six months, our office has approved the filing of a charge alleging Smoker killed Linda after kidnapping her while she walked home from church on Beechdale Road in Upper Leacock Township,” the DA’s office said in a press release.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Homicide charge filed in case of missing Amish girl

Justo Smoker had already been charged with kidnapping Linda Stoltzfoos as she walked home from church in June.

www.pennlive.com

Homicide charge filed in case of missing Amish girl​

The man who had been charged with kidnapping an Amish girl in Lancaster County is now facing charges of criminal homicide.

The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday that police have filed criminal homicide charges against Justo Smoker, who had previously been charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment in connection with the disappearance of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos.

“In consideration of the evidence collected over the past six months, our office has approved the filing of a charge alleging Smoker killed Linda after kidnapping her while she walked home from church on Beechdale Road in Upper Leacock Township,” the DA’s office said in a press release.

Good! Hopefully they have enough. This also may not be a bad strategy. If he is now facing multiple charges AND homicide, maybe he will deal and give up her location.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Linda Stoltzfoos case subject of 'The Daily Crime' podcast

The episode of the podcast focuses on the Linda Stoltzfoos case, and features an interview from FOX43's Grace Griffaton, who has covered the story extensively.

www.fox43.com

Linda Stoltzfoos case subject of 'The Daily Crime' podcast​

The episode of the podcast focuses on the Linda Stoltzfoos case, and features an interview from FOX43's Grace Griffaton, who has covered the story extensively.


Podcast available on Spotify and other podcast locations.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Man accused of killing missing Amish woman Linda Stoltzfoos heading to county court [update]

Justo Smoker, the man already charged with kidnapping missing Amish teenager Linda Stoltzfoos last June, will be tried in Lancaster County Court for her death.

lancasteronline.com

Man accused of killing missing Amish woman Linda Stoltzfoos heading to county court [update]​

Justo Smoker, the man already charged with kidnapping missing Amish teenager Linda Stoltzfoos last June, will be tried in Lancaster County Court for her death.

Smoker was held for court following a preliminary hearing Friday before a district judge at the county courthouse.


Jones also testified that the FBI's analysis of Smoker's cell phone data showed him proceeding from the kidnapping area to the Welsh Mountain, a rugged, largely rural area in the county’s eastern end. That area, along with where she was last seen, has been the subject of numerous searches by hundreds of people.


The next step in the homicide case will be a formal arraignment, where a judge will read the charge to Smoker and he will enter a plea of not guilty or guilty. That's scheduled for March 26.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Homicide trial ordered in disappearance of young Amish woman from Lancaster County

A man has been ordered to stand trial on a homicide charge in the disappearance of a young Amish woman in Pennsylvania last summer.

www.fox29.com

Homicide trial ordered in disappearance of young Amish woman from Lancaster County​

A man has been ordered to stand trial on a homicide charge in the disappearance of a young Amish woman in Pennsylvania last summer.

LNP newspaper reports that a Lancaster County judge ruled Friday that prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence for the trial of 34-year-old Justo Smoker of Paradise in the disappearance of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos, who was last seen walking home from church June 21 in the Bird-in-Hand area.


First Assistant District Attorney Todd Brown said no decision has been made on whether to seek the death penalty. Smoker will be formally arraigned March 26 on the homicide charge; he pleaded not guilty earlier to the kidnapping and false imprisonment charges.

 

[Kimster]

Homicide trial ordered in disappearance of young Amish woman from Lancaster County

A man has been ordered to stand trial on a homicide charge in the disappearance of a young Amish woman in Pennsylvania last summer.

www.fox29.com

Homicide trial ordered in disappearance of young Amish woman from Lancaster County​

A man has been ordered to stand trial on a homicide charge in the disappearance of a young Amish woman in Pennsylvania last summer.

LNP newspaper reports that a Lancaster County judge ruled Friday that prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence for the trial of 34-year-old Justo Smoker of Paradise in the disappearance of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos, who was last seen walking home from church June 21 in the Bird-in-Hand area.


First Assistant District Attorney Todd Brown said no decision has been made on whether to seek the death penalty. Smoker will be formally arraigned March 26 on the homicide charge; he pleaded not guilty earlier to the kidnapping and false imprisonment charges.

Glad they're moving forward and I do hope they put the death penalty on the table to encourage the accused to telling Linda's family where she can be found.

 

[Guess Who]

Human remains found in search for missing Amish teen, prosecutors say

Investigators have found human remains in a rural Pennsylvania area during the search for an Amish teenager who has been missing for 10 months, authorities said.

abcnews.go.com

 

[GrandmaBear]

Well, found in the same county so a very good chance it is her.

What this poor girl probably went through coming from I imagine a pretty sheltered, safe and low risk life just walking home in her own area which she probably did countless times in her life saddens me.

I will give it to Lancaster County as they arrested and charged this man before finding her body, if indeed this is her.

 

[Kimster]

If this is her, they won't have to negotiate for a lighter sentence for her killer in order to locate her remains.

I feel so bad for her loved ones right now.

 

[kdg411]

Per Lancaster County DA

• The remains were recovered Wednesday near Gap behind the previous place of employment of Justo Smoker, the man charged with her homicide and kidnapping.
• An autopsy is scheduled for Friday to help confirm the identity and determine the cause and manner of death, but a preliminary review indicates the remains are those of a female of a relevant age.
• Investigators also found a dress, bonnet and shoes consistent with the clothing worn by Stoltzfoos on the day she disappeared.
• Police believe Smoker killed Stoltzfoos within hours of allegedly kidnapping her on June 21 and buried her behind a business on Harvest Drive in Ronks where investigators found her stockings and bra. It’s believed that Smoker then moved the body several days later

Lancaster DA holds news conference about missing Amish teen, Linda Stoltzfoos

WGAL News 8

www.wgal.com

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Stoltzfoos autopsy could bolster or hurt case against Justo Smoker

The autopsy to determine cause and manner of death is scheduled for April 23.

www.fox43.com

Stoltzfoos autopsy could bolster or hurt case against Justo Smoker​

The case of missing Amish teenager Linda Stoltzfoos will soon move ahead to its next step: the autopsy of the human remains found April 21 and presumed to be hers.

Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams said at a press conference April 22 she strongly believes and can comfortably say the remains are of Stoltzfoos.


Investigators discovered the remains wrapped in tarp that was buried up to 42 inches below ground.

The autopsy to determine cause and manner of death is scheduled for April 23. Coroner Dr. Stephen Diamantoni said he expected the cause and manner of death to be determined quickly—likely within a day. Definitive DNA identification of the body could take longer.


“You could get some marks from a bullet, you could get marks from a knife, you could get marks from compression, from thumps. These are the things that they’re probably looking at at this point,” said Robert Furey, a forensic entomologist and Dauphin County deputy coroner, as well as a professor of integrative sciences at Harrisburg University.

The discovery could bolster or hurt the case against Justo Smoker, the 35-year-old charged in Stoltzfoos’s killing.

“More often than not there will be forensic evidence with that body and through that autopsy, which will be and should be used against the criminal defendant at a criminal homicide prosecution,” said Chris Ferro, criminal defense attorney at York-based Ferro Law Firm.

District Attorney Adams said with the new evidence, she was even more confident her office could “secure justice” for Stoltzfoos and her family.

“No-body prosecutions are difficult,” Adams said. “It’s often the recovery of the body that answers many of the questions as far as how the victim died.”

 

[kdg411]

*(remains confirmed)

The Lancaster County Coroner's Office has ruled asphyxia due to strangulation and suffocation as the cause of death for 18-year-old Amish woman Linda Stoltzfoos.

A stab wound was also a contributing factor.

The coroner was able to use dental records to identify the remains, and the manner of death was ruled as homicide, according to the coroner's office.

Coroner: Linda Stoltzfoos cause of death ruled as asphyxia, stab wound contributing factor

The Lancaster County Coroner's Office has ruled asphyxia due to strangulation and suffocation as the cause of death for 18-year-old Amish woman Linda Stoltzfoos. A stab wound was also a contributing factor. The corner was able us dental records to identify the remains the remains, and the manner...

local21news.com

 

[Kimster]

The only silver lining is that she was found and the accused killer is behind bars.

There are so many cases on our website where neither has been resolved. Some were murdered and we don't even know their names!

My thoughts and prayers go out to her family in this most difficult time.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Linking as some may find it interesting. About 40 minutes. She does an intro and an ad for her sponsor at the beginning but after that it is purely this case. Covers it well and some details I did not know or maybe don't remember. This man was like doing everything to call attention to himself that weekend (not on purpose just that stupid imo). The day before several noticed him and had their radar up some.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Monday marks one year since Linda Stoltzfoos disappeared

The 18-year-old was last seen June 21, 2020, while walking home from church.

www.wgal.com

Monday marks one year since the disappearance of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos.

 

[kdg411]

Smoker is to appear before the Lancaster Court of Common Pleas on July 23. The court will be presided over by Judge David L. Ashworth.

His court appearance is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.

It is not known what charge Smoker is expected to plead guilty to.

After his court appearance, Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams is set to hold a press conference to discuss the developments in the case against Smoker.

Justo Smoker expected to enter a guilty plea in connection to the killing of Linda Stoltzfoos

Smoker allegedly kidnapped Stoltzfoos while she was walking home from church on June 21, 2020, and then killed her.

www.fox43.com

 

[kdg411]

“We were all Stoltzfoos’s that day,” Amish community representative Sam Blank said in court, before directly addressing the killer: “the Amish Community and Linda’s family will forgive you, Justo.”

'I Robbed Her Family of Time, of Memories': Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Brutal Murder of Amish Teenager

"We were all Stoltzfoos's that day," an Amish community representative said in court during the plea hearing.

lawandcrime.com

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Wow. We don't see a lot of guilty pleas these days. Glad her family and community were in support of the deal.