Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Williams Township, PA: Murder arrest brings to light domestic violence

WILLIAMS TWP., Pa. -
Northampton County officials announced an arrest Tuesday in the murder of Mark Werkheiser, who was found dead in his Williams Township home earlier this month.

Now advocates for domestic violence awareness are sounding off about the arrest.

The reason why this has become a domestic violence issue is because the person arrested is Werkheiser's ex-girlfriend and mother of his four children. She is now the focus of a pre-meditated murder case.

"I felt pain and sorrow for the family because I knew that this was going to be a day that would bring them back to that first day that this happened to Mark," said Heidi Markow.

It's a feeling that's all too familiar for Markow. She not only was friends with Mark Werkheiser and his family; she also lost her sister to domestic violence in 2005.

"I was always confident that they would find the person that did this. But for me when you know the person that committed such a horrible ugly crime, it hurts," said Markow.

Tuesday, the Northampton County District Attorney, John Morganelli announced the arrest of Werkheiser's ex, Elizabeth Collazo.

He says Collazo snuck into the house where Werkheiser slept and shot him six times with his own handgun which she had stolen.

"This lady was driven by ill will, hatred, whatever to plan this murder, not spur of the moment," said District Attorney John Morganelli.

As for Markow, she hopes the tragedy will shed more light on the issue of domestic violence.

"With men, until they start coming forward, until they start speaking about it they say domestic violence is a woman's issue, well it's not," said Markow.

Collazo has admitted to the killing. She is due back in court on April 9.

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