35 years after the death of her husband, she becomes the main suspect because of her pajamas

The murder of Carl Jarvis will remain unexplained for 35 years. On August 10, 1987, this man was killed in cold blood in Pennsylvania, USA. At the time, his wife had called the police after a heated argument. Police arrived quickly and found Judith Ann Jarvis alone outside their home in the town of Millerstown. Upon entering their home, they found her husband’s body, naked on the floor, shot in the neck by a gun lying on a bed. For a long time, the police believed that this man had committed suicide. But the investigation was reopened… More than 35 years later, Judith Ann Jarvis has been charged with the murder of her husband after a doctor “determined that the death could not have been the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound”.

“This decision was based on physical evidence, including new DNA analysis, and the findings of medical examiners who reviewed the case”, the Perry County District Attorney’s Office said. Early in the investigation into Carl Jarvis’ death, investigators found bloodstains on one sleeve of the blue and white pajamas his wife wore that evening. At the time, she explained the presence of this blood by a “goose bite” occurred a few hours earlier. However, a test in 1987 revealed that the blood was from a human with blood type “O”, like her husband’s. Judith Ann Jarvis was questioned by investigators in January 2021 about this mysterious bite.

This case “gives a lot of hope” for cold cases

“Judith Jarvis had no explanation for how Carl Jarvis’ blood got on her sleeve and maintained that she had no contact with (his) body,” explained the investigators. In addition, the medical examiner asserted “that it was impossible for the victim to shoot himself from the way the body was found”. 35 years after the tragedy, Judith Ann Jarvis has been indicted for the murder of her husband. “I want to thank the Pennsylvania State Police for their dedication to solving all crimes in Perry County and the Commonwealth, responded prosecutor Lauren C. Eichelberger. This gives me a lot of courage and hope. We must continue to find answers to cold box like this, especially with the use of more advanced technologies.”