CHAMBERSBURG, PA – Police in south-central Pennsylvania are investigating the violent death of a woman who police say was killed inside her Chambersburg apartment, allegedly at the hands of her partner, while their child was left behind.
Police responding to a welfare check in the early hours of Saturday found the woman unconscious and unresponsive at her West Washington Street residence. An individual familiar with the couple had requested the welfare check, sharing troubling messages reportedly received from 42-year-old Andre Romulus, the woman’s partner.
According to investigators, Romulus messaged the acquaintance late Friday night through early Saturday, suggesting that he would not be seen again and urging someone to look in on the victim. In the exchanges, Romulus expressed feelings of being abandoned by the woman and left to care for their child alone.
When officers forced entry into the apartment, they discovered the woman with significant head injuries, lying on the floor in a pool of blood beside a bed. Despite prompt intervention from medical personnel, her wounds proved fatal, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The identity of the victim has not yet been released as authorities continue to work through the circumstances that led to the fatal altercation. The releasing of further details about the couple’s child, including the child’s well-being, has not been confirmed by police.
Investigators determined the woman’s death resulted from severe blunt force trauma to the head. Evidence recovered from the scene and the reported messages implicated Romulus in the attack. Authorities believe he fled Chambersburg after the incident.
A regional search began, involving both local police and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. By Monday, Romulus was apprehended without incident in Harrisburg, approximately 55 miles from the original crime scene. A search warrant executed at his apartment led detectives to further evidence, including written messages that reiterated grievances toward the victim and admissions of physical assaults in the past.
Romulus faces charges of criminal homicide and is being held pending a preliminary hearing in Franklin County court scheduled for December 30.
Investigators in Chambersburg are urging anyone with additional information about the case or the events leading up to the woman’s death to contact the Chambersburg Police Department. Meanwhile, the community remains shaken as authorities work to support the victim’s family and ensure the safety and care of the child.