JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A Latrobe woman charged in the death of a Johnstown bar owner told police that Lance Ross, 53, was injured when he fell down the stairs.
Detectives from the Johnstown Police Department didn’t believe her.
City police detectives Mark Britton and Cory Adams charged Tami Shafer, 53, on Wednesday with murder, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and tampering with evidence.
Latrobe woman arrested for murder at 2023 Freight Station bar
An arrest was made Wednesday in connection with the February 2023 murder of Lance Ross, 65, of Johnstown, owner of the Freight Station bar.
Detectives said they found a sledgehammer with blood on the head. Shafer reportedly said, “Someone obviously beat him up and killed him. I killed him.”
“She didn’t admit she did it,” Adams said.
According to an affidavit, city police were dispatched to the Freight Station at 20 Matthew St. on the morning of Feb. 20, 2023, for a reported fall.
According to police, Shafer told someone to call 911 because Ross had fallen down the stairs. Police said when they arrived, they found Ross, who “appeared to have been assaulted” as his injuries were not consistent with a fall.
Both of his eyes were purple and swollen shut. His hand was bruised and there were multiple bruises on his body, the affidavit said.
Ross later died at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center.
Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees said Ross died of multiple blunt force trauma injuries consistent with an assault.
Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer said it takes time to piece together evidence.
“In this matter, it took some time to ensure that we had the right pieces of the puzzle and that those pieces all led to the conclusion of the charges that were filed,” he said.
Shafer allegedly told police inconsistent stories.
Shafer told police that when she and Ross returned home from Southmont Gardens, she never made it upstairs. During the same police interview, Shafer said Ross “rolled down the stairs,” according to the affidavit.
An examination of the surveillance footage showed that 55 minutes passed before 911 was called.
Video also showed that Shafer and Ross were the only two people at the Freight Station.
Detectives found blood on the walls of the stairwell leading to his apartment and a bloody sledgehammer.
Shafer was arraigned by acting District Judge John Prebish of Cresson and is being held without bond at the Cambria County Prison in Ebensburg.
