More Details Emerge in the Killing of Westchester Philharmonic Violinist Mary Whitaker

Westchester Philharmonic violinist Mary Whitaker was shot twice, stabbed in the neck once and was left to bleed out and die, according to an account in The New York Times of the tragic robbery and murder of the 61-year-old.

The two homeless men charged with killing her, Jonathan M. Conklin, 43, and Charles R. Sanford, 30, were arrested Friday and thought they would be able to live like a “rock star” on what they planned to steal from her, but only took her car, some checks and credit cards from her Westfield, NY, home, the Times writes.

Before randomly setting upon Whitaker’s summer home, the two suspects robbed another home in nearby Sherman where they stole shotguns and a rifle, one of which was apparently used to shoot Whitaker.

The pair fled back to Pennsylvania, where they had originally met, and went on a minor shopping spree, including the purchase of a flat-screen television. They were arrested after authorities saw them on surveillance videotape using one of Whitaker’s credit cards in a convenience store.

Conklin and Sanford remain in Chautauqua County Jail in upstate New York, held without bail.

Click here to read the full story in The New York Times.

Photo: Mary Whitaker. Photo credit: Westchester Philharmonic Orchestra