A Pennsylvania man was charged with first-degree murder after police said he confessed to killing a missing woman and led detectives to where he hid her skeletal remains seven years ago.
David Snyder, of Hanover, is also charged with strangulation in the death of Kimberley Gsell, who went missing on September 29, 2019, according to authorities, PennLive reported.
Gsell was last seen at the Roadway Inn motel in Middlesex Township. She was 38 at the time of her disappearance, according to the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office, which announced on Monday, September 28, that Snyder has been charged in her murder.
Snyder, 39, recently admitted to investigators that he strangled Gsell to death and led them to the location he left her body buried under a pile of rocks at the Yellow Breeches Creek on Saturday, September 26, per PennLive.
Before she died, Gsell was staying at the Roadway Inn with a married woman, Snyder’s wife, according to police. Gsell had become engaged to his wife.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by WGAL, Gsell and the woman got into an altercation during their stay, resulting in the woman injuring her nose.
Afterward, police said Snyder took the woman to a hospital for treatment.
“Original statements provided by both David and [his wife] indicated that David discovered Gsell not to be present in the room,” police wrote in the affidavit, per the TV station. “[His wife] provided numerous explanations for Gsell’s whereabouts to family and friends. David claimed he did not see Gsell the evening of her disappearance.”
Snyder ultimately confessed to police that he went back to the motel as his wife remained at the hospital, according to the affidavit.
There, he allegedly told Gsell that his wife wanted her to come to the hospital and convinced Gsell to get in his car.
Then, Snyder put Gsell in a deadly chokehold while she was intoxicated and had been in the front passenger seat of his van, he revealed, according to the affidavit viewed by WGAL.
After killing her, Snyder allegedly put Gsell’s body in the back of his van, wrapped it in a blanket and then got his wife from the hospital.
At some point afterward, he said he buried Gsell, who he and his wife subsequently reported as missing, according to the affidavit.
“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to provide a happy ending for Kim’s family, but hopefully now we’ll be able to provide answers,” Cumberland County District Attorney Seán McCormack said at a Monday news conference, per FOX43.
McCormack didn’t specify whether Snyder’s wife is expected to be charged in relation to Gsell’s disappearance and death.
“I’m just going to let that speak for itself at this point,” McCormack said.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Snyder had retained legal counsel.
He’s due in court for a preliminary hearing set for October 7, according to PennLive.
