Latrobe police looking for man in connection with woman’s murder at apartment complex

LATROBE, Pa. — Westmoreland County investigators are asking for help tracking a person of interest in a woman’s murder inside an apartment.

The Latrobe Police Chief Richard Bosco says Pamela Puskar, 59, was found stabbed to death early Sunday morning at Loyalhanna Apartments on Jefferson Street.

An autopsy done Monday morning determined her death to be a homicide.

“There’s evidence of a struggle. This is a situation that occurred between two persons that knew each other, for however long we do not know, but it’s not a random act,” Bosco said.

Channel 11 spoke exclusively with Puskar’s friend, who went to check on her when he didn’t hear from her Saturday, and made the terrible discovery that she had been murdered.

“She ignored me all day yesterday, and something told me to check and see if her door was unlocked,” Paul Smidga said. “I got a hold of somebody else, and that’s how I found her.”

Smidga said he found his friend stabbed to death on the floor of her apartment in Downtown Latrobe.

“She was a clean person and a nice person, and she does not deserve this,” said Smidga

Police received a phone call around 7 a.m. Sunday, but they suspect the murder happened sometime on Friday night or Saturday morning.

“This is shocking and tragic to all of us in the City of Latrobe. This is very inconsistent with the way of life here. But as we all know in life, you don’t know what comes out of individual relationships and why,” Chief Bosco said.

Latrobe police are now working with the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office on the investigation.

Investigators released a photo of a man the DA’s office considers a person of interest. They believe he is stocky, with a grayish goatee or beard and is a local. He was seen leaving Puskar’s apartment around 7 a.m. on Saturday.

The DA’s office is now asking the public to check their cameras for any additional sightings.

People who may have seen him on any residential or business surveillance cameras in the vicinity any time after 7 a.m. on Saturday are asked to contact police immediately.

Anyone with information is asked to call the detective bureau at 724-830-3287 or Latrobe Police at 724-537-5526.

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