Black Who Strangled White Baby Mama Found Dead in Cell

Penn Life
January 25, 2014

heather-bechtel-obituary
Heather Marie Bechtel was strangled to death by James Earl Greer, the father of one of her children.

A Harrisburg man facing criminal homicide charges in a Lower Paxton Township strangulation homicide was found dead in his cell in York County prison.

York County Prison officials said in a news release that James Earl Greer Jr., 28, was found unresponsive around 3 a.m. Tuesday in his cell.

Prison staff called on-site medical personnel, who performed CPR, but efforts to revive Greer were unsuccessful.

James Earl Greer Jr
James Earl Greer Jr has been found dead in his cell.

Greer was pronounced dead shortly afterward, prison officials said. Prison staff did not observe any signs of physical trauma.

Greer was being held in York County at the request of Dauphin County, according to the news release.

The Pennsylvania State Police and the York County Coroner’s Office are investigating.

Police charged Greer in the Dec. 7 strangulation death of Heather Bechtel, 32, of Lower Paxton Township.