Nephew Stabbed Aunt 40 Times in Montco Killing: DA

A Conshohocken man who had just been released from prison has been arrested for the stabbing murder of his aunt on Friday morning, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office announced.

Matthew J. Wertz Jr., 28, has been charged with first-degree murder in the killing of his aunt, 60-year-old Catherine Wanamaker, authorities said.

“This is a terrible tragedy," DA Kevin Steele said. "A woman opened her door to a relative who had just been released from jail, and in return she was brutally murdered."

Police arrived at Wanamaker's residence at 5:14 a.m. on Friday after receiving a report of a woman screaming and a dog barking on the 900 block of Hallowell Street in Conshohocken.

Wanamaker was lying on the floor, already dead from multiple stab wounds, the DA said. Wertz was kneeling several feet away and was stabbing himself in the throat area, authorities said.

Police said that they disarmed Wertz and took him to Lankenau Hospital for treatment.

An autopsy revealed that Wanamaker had been stabbed nearly 40 times, the Coroner's Office said.

Wertz was denied bail. A preliminary hearing has been set for Dec. 29.

Image courtesy Montgomery County District Attorney's Office