Woman held in slaying of husband missing for 8 years

July 17--Authorities in Somerset County had to find a figurative needle in a haystack before they were ready Saturday to arrest former county resident Jeanette Battle in the 2008 death of her husband.

District Attorney Lisa Lazzari-Strasiser and the arresting officer, state police Trooper Shawn Reynolds, agreed that finally uncovering what they believe are the remains of the late Thomas Conrad, 55, of Garrett, nearly eight years after his disappearance, was a key factor in being able to file charges.

Battle, 62, of Reading is charged with homicide, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse, conspiracy and tampering with evidence. In June, her son, Samuel McFarland Jr., formerly of Garrett and Conrad's stepson, was arrested on similar charges in the case.

Lazzari-Strasiser said for­ensic experts at Mercyhurst University are examining the remains and will use prison dental records for Conrad, who was arrested on a rape charge in 1992. But, she said, "based on the facts, we are pretty certain" the remains are Conrad's.

Authorities said, with information obtained from McFarland, the body was exhumed Wednesday from a former strip mine near Johnson's Corner, and they quickly moved to file a criminal complaint and take Battle into custody. Retracing steps taken during the initial probe in 2009, Lazzari-Strasiser said investigators interviewed almost 40 people to advance the case.

She said monetary gain appears to be the motive for the crime. According to the police complaint, officials believe Conrad was shot in his residence around the time of his disappearance in August or September 2008.

Police said a stolen handgun used in the murder was recovered in 2010 from Somerset Lake. Reynolds said, in later interviews, McFarland told investigators he obtained the gun and later disposed of it, but he accused his mother of killing Conrad.

McFarland at first denied but then admitted to helping his mother dispose of Conrad's body, according to the complaint.

According to Reynolds, McFarland stated that, after his stepfather kicked him out of the family home in Garrett, his mother asked him to give her the gun, telling him that Conrad would report to police that McFarland had the stolen weapon.

According to the complaint, McFarland said he wasn't far from the house when he heard gunshots. McFarland said his mother then phoned him and said that Conrad "was done, dead."

With the additional evidence, police refiled arson and related insurance fraud charges against Battle that were dropped in 2010. Battle was accused of torching the home in 2009 to collect insurance money.

Battle is in the Somerset County Jail awaiting a preliminary hearing.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6622 or [email protected].

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