The first word came on Sunday morning, April 11, when State Police were called to the home of Tod E. and Laurie A. Prenatt at 2079 Wheeler Road, west of Linesville, the police finding the bodies of the Prenatts upon arrival at the home.

Both had been shot numerous times with Crawford County Coroner Pat McHenry ruling the deaths homicides late Monday afternoon, April 12, following the completion of autopsies in Erie by Dr. Eric Vey, a forensic pathologist.

The Pennsylvania State Police were called to the home at about 10:00 a.m., after Laurie Pernatt’s mother stopped at the home to pick up her daughter on the way to Linesville First Baptist Church where both attended.

The mother went into the house and saw mail she had left there the day before on the kitchen table, then went to neighbor’s house for help in searching the home.

The pair found the the body of Laurie Prenatt in the home. They then alerted the police who found the body of Tod Pernatt in a detached garage on the property.

The State Police then spent the rest of Sunday, Sunday evening and returned Monday as they continued the investigation into the two homicides.

Laurie Prenatt, age 44, died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head while Tod Prenatt, age 51, died of gunshot wounds to the head and neck.

No comments were given on how many times either had been shot. Both were shot by the same caliber gun, but no word was released on whether it was the same gun.

The time of the shootings and death were also not given.

Crawford County District Attorney Francis Schultz indicated the State Police were investigating with the investigation including interviews with family and friends in trying to determine the why, what and where of the shocking event.

No suspects have been identified at this point in the investigation.

Of interest in the case is a German Shepherd dog was found to be protecting the body of Laurie Pernatt when her body was found. One story said the dog bit a neighbor who went into the house and one story indicated it was a State Trooper who was bitten.

The dog was removed by officials of the Crawford County Humane Society and was being kept in quarantine for 10 days, procedure in such events.

The Prenatts had been married about 15 years.

The robbery, which occurred on Friday, April 2, and was not a well known event, and according to many rumors now floating about the community, may be ultimately connected to the homicides in a drug deal gone bad story.

That possibility was being looked into by State Police as were several other crimes in and around the community.

The Linesville Rite Aid drug store was robbed that Good Friday afternoon with some $350 taken and several bottles of OxyContin given to the robber who has been identified as Gary C. Wiley, 37, of the Linesville area.

He was arraigned before Linesville District Judge Rita Marwood on Tuesday, April 13. He was committed to Crawford County Jail on $100,000 bond.

Wiley is owner of a car repair business located on the Linesville Road, just north of Linesville borough.

Wiley was charged with robbery, theft by unlawful taking and terroristic threats.

According to reports taken from the affidavit of probable cause, the drug store robbery and related events unfolded this way: Wiley called police on April 1, the day before the robbery and said he had been abducted and assaulted by someone who kidnapped him, forced him into a car and took him to Erie.

Wiley said the person was “a known suspect.”

Wiley said he had been assaulted in his garage, and that his abductor on the way to Erie had beaten him in the facial area with the rearview mirror from the vehicle they were in.

Wiley went to the Meadville State Police Station at about 11 p.m. on April 1 to give information to the police regarding the abduction. Troopers took photos of red marks and injuries on Wiley’s right cheek and neck, according to reports.

The robbery took place around 3:50 p.m. April 2. Rite Aid employees said a man wearing a black ski mask, black gloves and black and white clothing entered the st ore, demanding cash and OxyContin. One store employee gave the robber the cash and the pharmacist gave him several bottles of OxyContin.

One employee reported to police the man had red scratches on his neck, which the ski mask did not cover.

The same employee then, according to police reports, a man matching the robber’s description returned to the store at two different times Saturday afternoon. She got the license plate number when the man left the store, gave it to police who then found the plate registered to a Chrysler Pacifica owned by Wiley.