Police charge man with murder after ex-girlfriend dies from injuries

DERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s Westmoreland County home and shooting her in December was charged with criminal murder on Saturday. According to the report from Greensburg police, 36-year-old Holly George, of Derry Township, succumbed to her injuries on Dec. 19, 2013, and was pronounced dead.

Troopers from the Greensburg barracks said there were children home at the time of the attack, but they were not physically injured when 51-year-old Arthur Whitfield, of Josephine, broke into George’s West First Avenue home in Derry Township around 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2013.

Police said Whitfield entered the bedroom where George was lying in a bed, pulled out a handgun from his waistband, fired multiple rounds at George and then fled the scene.

Trooper Stephen Limani told Channel 11 in December that Whitfield was unhappy about a change in their relationship, broke into the home and shot George. Their 15-year-old daughter in bed with George and another older sibling witnessed the shooting, Limani said.

According to the children who witnessed the shooting, Whitfield said, “This is the last time you’re going to (expletive) me over.”

George’s two other children, ages 9 and 13, were elsewhere in the house and also not physically harmed.

“I heard this pounding noise and I didn’t realize it was gunshots,” neighbor Pamela McKlveen said. “I thought it was hammering nails or something.”

Police officers and EMS were summoned to the scene. George was taken from the scene and flown to a Pittsburgh hospital.

Pennsylvania State Police troopers said they eventually apprehended Whitfield and subsequently charged him with attempted homicide.

Dr. Cyril Wecht, a forensic pathologist, performed an autopsy on George on Dec. 20 and determined she died due to medical complications that developed as a result of the multiple gunshot wounds.

After further investigation, police said they charged Whitfield with criminal homicide, burglary, persons not to possess a firearm and firearms carried without a license.

WPXI