OBITUARY: Sandra Montjar, 76, of Ligonier, died Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, at her home. Sandra was born in Pittsburgh on June 9, 1944. She was the daughter of the late Edward and Elizabeth Gibson Stemp. Sandi was a 1962 graduate of Baldwin High School. She enjoyed cooking, birdwatching, tending to her beautiful gardens, walking on trails, and most especially the company of her dogs. Sandi was an avid Pittsburgh Penguins and Steelers fan. Later in life, she decided to pursue a career in nursing, and earned a BSN from St. Francis School of Nursing. She had been employed at various hospitals and homecare agencies. Sandi is survived by three children, Tammy Frech Arnold and her husband, Christopher, of Karns City, Jim Carradine and his wife, Kim, and Scott Carradine, all of West Mifflin; five grandchildren, Kevin Frech, of Philadelphia, Alex Carradine, of Colorado, and Marissa, Jacob, and Louis Carradine, all of Pittsburgh; two brothers, Richard Stemp and his wife, Geri, of Macungie, and Gary Stemp and his wife, Terry, of Germantown, Ohio; three nephews and a number of cousins. Donations in Sandi's memory be made to your favorite rails to trails organization or Phipps Conservatory at Phipps.conservatory.org/donate. Private funeral arrangements are under the direction of the HILE FUNERAL HOME of Karns City.

COOK MAN, 73, CHARGED WITH KILLING WIFE, KEEPING HER CORPSE IN HOME FOR A WEEK.

News story, triblive.com, October 21, 2020: - A 73-year-old Cook man remains in jail without bond after state police accused him of spending a week inside his home with the corpse of his wife, who was shot twice in the back. - Troopers discovered the body on Tuesday, when a relative requested a welfare check for Sandra Montjar, 76, at the couple’s residence along Route 711, south of Ligonier. - Shane Del Montjar met a trooper at the door and "admitted killing his wife on Oct. 13," Trooper James McKenzie wrote in court documents. Montjar led Trooper Jesse Niehenke into another room where he pointed to her body "wrapped in a blanket, a plastic bag and carpet," McKenzie reported. - "He told us he was despondent over his wife’s health. She apparently had a medical condition for awhile," Trooper Stephen Limani said. "He decided to alleviate her pain and retrieved a handgun from the bedroom and shot and killed her." - On Oct. 13, Montjar said his wife had a coughing spell and he went to retrieve her a glass of water, McKenzie reported. - "He went to get her a glass of water and he heard a thud when she fell off the living room couch to the floor. He turned around and went back, but she had gotten herself back on the couch, but was still coughing," McKenzie wrote. "(Montjar) stated he made a spur of the moment decision that 'I have to do this.'" - He walked to a bedroom nightstand and retrieved a .25-caliber handgun. After returning to the living room, he "shot her twice in the back," McKenzie said. - Montjar was arraigned on charges of abuse of a corpse, criminal homicide, first degree murder and tampering with evidence. He is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison. - Montjar told investigators that he didn’t disclose his wife’s death to anyone and stayed with her "the last week to get his affairs in order," Limani said. - According to Limani, Montjar told investigators that he intended to set their home on fire with both he and his wife inside. - No one answered the door at a neighbor’s home Wednesday. - The couple was believed to have been married for more than 25 years, according to authorities. - A preliminary hearing is scheduled Oct. 30.

NOTE: He claimed it was a "Mercy Killing" but investigators apparently don't believe it. The final outcome is unknown at this writing.