A 57-year-old man from Pennsylvania, identified as James Christopher Frank, has been apprehended and charged with the heinous killing of his wife. Local authorities reported that Frank was taken into custody on Tuesday, facing a serious criminal homicide charge for the death of Deborah Glaser.
The Northampton County Office of the District Attorney issued a statement outlining the circumstances leading to Frank’s arrest. On Tuesday evening, around 8:30 p.m., officers from the Bethlehem Township Police Department responded to a welfare check request at a residence on 3rd Street. The call was made by a family member who was worried about the house’s occupants.
Upon reaching the location, the first responders tried to gain entry into the house. They were greeted by Frank, who informed them that his wife, Deborah Glaser, was deceased in the bathroom. Frank then led the officers to the bathroom where they discovered Glaser with multiple stab wounds. The scene also revealed a hammer and various sharp objects, including knives, razor blades, and box cutters.
The release further stated that Frank confessed to the police that he had used a steak knife to cut Glaser’s throat while she was still alive. He also admitted to using a knife and a hammer to penetrate Glaser’s chest and heart, estimating he did so about 10 times. Frank stated that his intention was to ensure Glaser was dead. Glaser was pronounced dead at the scene, and Frank was subsequently arrested.
More details about Glaser’s murder were disclosed in a probable cause affidavit obtained by Lehigh Valley Live. The report indicated that officers had to use a ladder to reach a second-story window after receiving no response from knocking on the doors and windows. Frank was found inside the house and complied with the officers’ order to open the front door. It was then that he reportedly informed the police about his wife’s death.
District Attorney Stephen Baratta told WFMZ, an Allentown independent news station, that Frank had not reported to work or called in on Monday or Tuesday. Baratta also mentioned that it was unclear how long Glaser had been dead. He described the incident as “gruesome and on a very human level, upsetting, especially given that it’s a domestic situation.”
Bethlehem Township Police Captain Shaun Powell told The Morning Call that the department had no previous interactions with Frank. A neighbor shared with the newspaper that the couple had resided in the peaceful neighborhood for several years. Frank is currently being held in the Northampton County Prison without bond and is due to appear in court again on March 25 for a preliminary hearing.