Silent Night, Deadly Night
By Wyatt Earp | December 26, 2008
Looks like my old patrol district was busy this Christmas.
As the early birds on Genesee Drive in the Northeast were preparing to open their Christmas presents yesterday morning, homicide investigators were setting up a crime scene at the end of the block, where police say Helen Wollaver received a deadly gift from her live-in boyfriend - a butcher knife to the stomach.
“We believe he just snapped,” Homicide Sgt. Bob Wilkins said of the 47-year-old man who was in custody last night but hadn’t yet been charged. “There appeared to be a struggle inside.”
Police responded at about 7:15 a.m. to the rowhouse on Genesee Drive near Nanton Drive, where Wollaver, 43, a Kensington native, had been stabbed once in the abdomen with a kitchen knife. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
“All I know is that he stabbed her,” said Wollaver’s brother, Jim. “The scumbag should die.”
Wollaver did not have a restraining order against her boyfriend, and police had not been called to the house before, according to Wilkins, but Jim Wollaver said he had a violent streak. (The Philadelphia Daily News)
You wouldn’t think it, but the holidays - Thanksgiving and Christmas in particular - are some of the busiest days of the year.
December 26th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Sad way to celebrate… no question…
December 26th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
That’s just sad.
December 26th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Old NFO - But typical for the holidays, I’m afraid.
RT - Yes, it is.
December 27th, 2008 at 8:21 am
It was a crazy night. No Christmas Trees through the front window this year though.
December 27th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
It’s really not surprising that some people snap when you think about the stress (financial and otherwise) the holidays bring about.
IIRC, suicides also rise during the Christmas/New Year’s season.
December 28th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Wagonsux - Well, that’s a nice Christmas bonus. Those trees always make a mess.
Glocksman - They do. And we have to go investigate every one of them.