Police: Whitehall woman, 71, fatally beaten with wrench

WHITEHALL, Pa. — Investigators said an elderly man is accused of stabbing his wife to death Saturday inside their Whitehall home.

Authorities responded to a medical call at the couple’s home on Brant Drive around 3:30 p.m., officials said.

Police said upon arriving at the house, they confronted Joseph Manning, 75, while he was holding a knife. Authorities said Manning was subdued with a stun gun after refusing to drop the bloodied weapon.

According to the criminal complaint, officers then found 71-year-old Mary Manning’s body with stab wounds and other injuries.

“Detectives recovered a blood-stained pipe wrench on the floor of the family room near the victim's feet,” the complaint said.

Neighbors described the Mannings as quiet and said they stayed to themselves.

“It’s a sad evening for us. This is a quiet neighborhood so to see this happen is kind of sad,” Maryanne Sciulli said.

Joseph Manning was charged with criminal homicide and taken to the Allegheny County Jail without bail pending an April 11 hearing.

WPXI