Huntington Township man was arrested Sunday for allegedly killing his wife and son in their home.

http://www.gettysburgtimes.com/articles/2010/03/22/news/local/doc4ba7501795638680969838.txt

  

Man kills wife, son

Richard Lehman allegedly admitted to police Sunday that he shot and killed his wife and son in this Huntington Township home, where the three lived.

BY ALEX J. HAYES

Times Night Editor

Published: Monday, March 22, 2010 7:15 AM EDT

A Huntington Township man was arrested Sunday for allegedly killing his wife and son in their home.

Richard Lehman, 68, shot and killed his wife, 62-year-old Linda Lehman, and his 33-year-old son Travis shortly after midnight at their 6909 Old Harrisburg Road home, state police announced at press conference Sunday afternoon.

Richard Lehman, according to police, called 911 to report the crime and admit his part in it.

State police arrived within 15 minutes and told the desk officer who was still on the phone with Richard Lehman to instruct him to go outside, according to the affidavit of probable cause. He complied and when police asked if anyone else was inside he reportedly said “No, just two dead bodies,” and “kill me.”

When police entered the home, they found Linda Lehman’s body with a gunshot wound to the head. Wagner said she was several feet from a phone.

“It appears the wife observed the son being shot,” Wagner said.

“The defendant related that he shot his wife because she was screaming and hollering and said that she was going to call the cops,” the affidavit reads.

Travis Lehman was found in the kitchen, according to the affidavit, with a gunshot wound to the back of the head.

Wagner said Richard Lehman appeared to be “coherent” and police do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved.

Wagner would not discuss any possible motive for the murders or if Richard Lehman had any prior criminal record.

Fire crews responded to the residence at 1 p.m., Saturday for what was originally described as a shed fire but classified by Adams County Control as a brush fire. Wagner would not comment as to whether the two incidences were at all related.

A search for Richard Lehman on Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System’s web portal, which contains criminal docket sheets dating back to 2000, did not yield any results.

He was charged with two counts of criminal homicide, according to Wagner. He is in Adams County Prison without bail and a preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for March 31.

Autopsies on the bodies of Travis and Linda Lehman are scheduled for Tuesday morning at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Chad Whittington, who is formerly of Biglerville and currently lives in Ozark, Montana, said Sunday he was Travis’ “best friend” as a child but he has not had contact with the family in 15 years. He vividly remembers Richard Lehman, but not in a good way.

“When we were kids he was very angry all the time, not much love in the house,” Whittington said. “I don't recall him being very loving at all. I can remember him yelling at Mrs. Lehman to the point where we would be scared as kids.”

However, his memories of Mrs. Lehman are much more pleasant.

“Mrs. Lehman was an incredibly sweet lady,” he said.

Wagner said this is the first double homicide in Adams County since he took office in 2003.

Contact Alex at ahayes@gburgtimes.com.

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