Cambria County man found guilty of 2016 murder | News, Sports, Jobs

A Cambria County man was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2016 death of his ex-girlfriend following a six-day jury trial that concluded Wednesday, State’s Attorney Michelle Henry wrote in a statement.

Christopher George Rowe, 50, was also found guilty of aggravated assault and making a false report to law enforcement in the death of Kaylene Roedel. While the abuse of a corpse charge was dismissed before trial, the felony involuntary sexual intercourse charge was also dismissed Tuesday with Cambria County Senior Judge Norman A. Krumenacker III presiding.

During testimony and arguments, the prosecution pointed out that Rowe never told the same story when talking to detectives about Roedel’s death. They also presented evidence that Rowe threatened Roedel at work just days before she disappeared. Rowe’s defense argued that the prosecution’s case was based heavily on emotion and that one of the witnesses was “lying”.

Rowe was being held in the Cambria County Jail for assaulting Roedel in 2016. The couple shared a home and a child at the time. According to testimony, Rowe told other inmates he wanted to kill Roedel, and shortly after Rowe was released, Roedel disappeared. She was found dead on August 7, 2016, near the Honan Boulevard Community Walk and Bike Path in the Minersville section of Johnstown.

Roedel’s vehicle, owned by Rowe, was seen during surveillance driving near where Roedel’s body was found. A witness also told investigators that Rowe admitted to strangling Roedel and said that if the witness told anyone, Rowe would kill them too.

The jury heard closing arguments Wednesday and then deliberated for about a half hour. They then asked to hear again Rowe’s 2020 interviews with state trooper Scott Urban, as well as his definition of first-degree murder.

Jurors spent more than an hour listening to interview clips between Rowe and Urban; In this video, Rowe said that a person he was staying with strangled Roedel to death on the morning of August 4, 2016, and another person held him at gunpoint. He was forced by these two individuals and a third person to drive a vehicle to the location where Roedel’s body was found.

Rowe faces a mandatory life sentence when he is sentenced in early January 2025.

“The defendant brutally murdered this woman – the mother of his child – after publicly threatening her where she worked,” said Attorney General Henry. “Our office sincerely thanks the investigators, prosecutors, and jurors who heard this case and achieved justice for the victim. “Nothing will bring Kaylene back, but we hope this decision will give her loved ones some peace of mind.”

Rowe neither moved nor reacted as the verdict was read. He said he planned to appeal outside the courtroom.

This case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Evan Lowry and Assistant Attorney General Aaron McKendry.