By: KDKA-TV News Staff
HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) – A South Carolina man was charged with murder for the archived death of a 60-year-old woman in Pennsylvania.
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State Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced on Monday that 35-year-old Christopher Kowalski was arrested and charged with the murder of Jean Tuggy, who was shot twice by a 9mm pistol at his home in Pine Grove Mills in 2016.
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“Jean died more than five years ago and his family has had no closings since,” said Shapiro in a statement. “Thanks to the diligent efforts of our lawyers, investigators and police officers who have never given up on this case, Christopher Kowalski’s arrest is the first step in putting his killer behind bars. The Tuggy family has long waited for justice, but we hope this news will help them heal. “
The statement said Kowalski, a former co-worker of the victim, was seen as a potential suspect during the investigation, which revealed that he was romantically interested in Tuggy. The investigators also found that Kowalski owned a 9 mm pistol that he later sold. The police, according to the statement, tracked the gun, and an examination revealed that it had many of the same characteristics as the murder weapon.
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Kowalski, according to the attorney general’s office, moved to South Carolina after Tuggy’s death. The statement said he admitted to the murder when the agents went to South Carolina.