Justo Smoker charged with homicide in death of Amish teen Linda Stoltzfoos
Justo Smoker now faces a charge of homicide in the death of Linda Stoltzfoos, according to charging documents.
York Daily Record
Police cited numerous sources of evidence, including witness accounts, DNA testing, video surveillance and cellphone records, to reach the conclusion that Smoker, 34, of Paradise, took Stoltzfoos, 18, against her will and killed her on June 21. Her body has not been found, despite numerous searches. All evidence leads to the inevitable conclusion that Justo Smoker killed Linda Stoltzfoos during the commission of her kidnapping and discarded her body, the warrant states.
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Man accused of kidnapping Linda Stoltzfoos now charged with her homicide
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pennsylvania (WGAL) A man charged with kidnapping an Amish teenager six months ago in Lancaster County is now charged with killing her.
The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday that Justo Smoker faces an additional charge of criminal homicide in the presumed death of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos, who remains missing.
“Given the circumstances of Linda’s disappearance; specifically, that she was forcefully abducted by a stranger, we always feared she suffered a tragic fate,” District Attorney Heather Adams said. “After careful consideration of all of the facts uncovered by the investigation as a whole, we are now in a position – legally – to charge Smoker with murder.”
Kidnap suspect now charged with murder of young Amish woman
December 21, 2020 GMT
LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) A man charged previously with having kidnapped a young Amish woman who disappeared in Pennsylvania last summer has now been charged with killing her.
Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams announced Monday that Justo Smoker, 34, of Paradise, was charged with criminal homicide in the case of Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, who has been missing since June 21.
Stoltzfus was last seen walking home from church in the Bird-in-Hand area, and no sign of her has been found since, Adams said. Friends and family said Stoltzfoos was happy with her life and had never expressed any desire to leave, and she had made plans to join others in a church youth group the day she disappeared, Adams said.
Prosecutors in Pennsylvania on Monday charged Justo Smoker with criminal homicide in the killing of Linda Stoltzfoos
Smoker, a convicted felon, was previously charged with abducting the 18-year-old Amish girl on her way home from church on June 21
Officials said new charge is based on evidence developed during investigation, including DNA allegedly belonging to Smoker that was found on a stocking
Cellphone data shows Smoker traveled to area where Stoltzfoos s bra and stockings were later found buried