The death of a Boalsburg woman who suffered a fatal gunshot wound in December has been ruled a homicide, Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna said on Wednesday.
No criminal charges have been filed to date as investigators await key evidence analysis, Cantorna said. A coroner’s ruling of homicide as the manner of death does not necessarily determine that a crime was committed, and Cantorna said the investigation of the shooting is ongoing.
Chelsea L. Knepp, 35, was fatally shot on the morning of Dec. 17 at a home on the 900 block of Boal Avenue. Her boyfriend, who is not being named because he has not been charged with a crime, told State College police investigators at the scene that he attempted to disarm Knepp of a revolver during an argument and the gun went off, Cantorna said.
The district attorney’s office and local investigators are waiting on the results of blood spatter analysis and the release of the handgun from the state police crime lab.
“The law enforcement in our office is unable to come to any conclusion without that evidence, which is why there has been the delay in the matter,” Cantorna said. “Our office can’t reach any conclusions until we can review the independent objective forensic evidence, and that’s because that can’t be subject to interpretation. It will either tell a story or it will not.”
Cantorna did not have a timeline for the results blood spatter analysis, but said once the gun is released he expected ballistic testing would take two weeks or less and his office would “then be in a position to make a decision as to whether there’s any criminality to the matter.”
Cantorna declined to say whether the boyfriend has been interviewed since speaking to police at the scene or if he is cooperating with the investigation.
Anyone who may have information about the incident is asked to call State College police at (814) 234-7150.
