A Pottsville woman found dead inside her apartment Wednesday was killed during a fight with her boyfriend, who then fled the state before returning to turn himself in, authorities said Thursday.
The county district attorney will decide whether to charge Joseph P. Pinnelle, 60, in the death of Ruth Ann Golden, 45.
According to Pottsville police Capt. Ronald Moser, Pinnelle and Golden apparently were involved in a fight Monday at Golden's home at 717 Mahantongo St., Apt. 1R. Golden bit hard on one of Pinnelle's fingers, Moser said, and Pinnelle, in an attempt to free himself, used his other hand to push her head back. At some point, Golden passed out and released her bite, Moser said.
"He said she was biting him and had his finger in her mouth and he was pushing on her jaw to break free," Moser said.
Moser said Pinnelle panicked and contacted his sister in Cape Cod, Mass., who gave him money for bus fare. When he arrived at his sister's home, Pinnelle told her about the fight and that he thought Golden was dead.
"At that point, the sister got him in the car and drove back to Pottsville and City Hall to report the incident," Moser said.
Officers immediately went to the apartment early Wednesday and found Golden's body, Moser said. Schuylkill County Coroner Joseph Lipsett pronounced her dead at 1:15 a.m. Wednesday.
Moser said Pinnelle was taken to a local hospital after he reported the incident, where an examination determined that bite marks on his body were fewer than 48 hours old - consistent with the story he told investigators.
Lipsett said Thursday that after an autopsy performed Wednesday by forensic pathologist Dr. Richard P. Bindie, Golden's death was ruled a homicide.
Moser and police Chief Joseph Murton said District Attorney James P. Goodman will make the final call on whether to charge Pinnelle with homicide.
Murton said that charge carries several degrees of severity: first-, second- and third-degree murder, involuntary and voluntary manslaughter and justifiable homicide.
Goodman said Thursday his office will make a decision sometime next week. Since Pinnelle was allegedly attempting to free himself from the woman's bite, he said justifiable homicide will be considered.
"At this point, we're waiting for more reports and toxicology tests," Goodman said. "At that point, we'll have to determine if it's criminal homicide."
Moser said the toxicology results are important because police believe drugs and alcohol may have played a part in the fight.
Lipsett said Thursday that Golden died from "positional asphyxia during an altercation with head and neck pushed to the side," blunt force head trauma and cardiorespiratory arrest.
Moser said this week's altercation between Pinnelle and Golden was not the first.
He said Golden was arrested by police June 2 and charged with simple assault and simple assault pursuant to domestic violence for attacking Pinnelle and leaving bite marks on his body. She was arraigned and committed to Schuylkill County Prison on 10 percent of $5,000 bail.
Moser said Golden was out on bail at the time of Monday's fight.
On Sept. 16, 2010, Golden was arrested on charges of simple assault and harassment pursuant to domestic violence in connection with a similar incident.
She was arraigned and jailed on 10 percent of $5,000 bail, Moser said.
"I think it would be safe to say this was a very tumultuous relationship," Moser said.
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