Murder suspect tells police 'someone beat the hell out of him'

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A Latrobe woman who was charged in the death of a Johnstown bar owner told police that Lance Ross, 53, was injured when he fell down the stairs.

Johnstown police detectives did not believe her.

City police detectives Mark Britton and Cory Adams charged Tami Shafer, 53, Wednesday, with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and tampering with evidence.

Latrobe woman arrested in 2023 Freight Station bar homicide

An arrest was made Wednesday in the February 2023 homicide death of Lance Ross, 65, of Johnstown, owner of the Freight Station bar.

Detectives said they found a sledgehammer with blood on the head. Shafer allegedly said, "Someone beat the hell out of him, obviously, and killed him. Murdered him."

"She did not admit to doing it," Adams said.

According to a complaint affidavit, city police were dispatched to the Freight Station at 20 Matthew St. on the morning of Feb. 20, 2023, for a reported fall.

Police said Shafer told someone to call 911 because Ross had fallen down the stairs. Police said that when they arrived, they found Ross, who "appeared to have been assaulted" because his injuries were not consistent with a fall.

Both of his eyes were purple and swollen shut. His hand was bruised and there were multiple bruises on his body, the affidavit said.

Ross later died at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center.

Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees said Ross died from multiple blunt-force trauma injuries that were consistent with an assault.

Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer said it takes time to piece together evidence.

"In the matter, it took some time to ensure that we had the proper puzzle pieces and that those pieces all led to the conclusion of charges being filed," he said.

Shafer allegedly gave police inconsistent stories.

Shafer told police that when she and Ross returned home from Southmont Gardens, Ross never made it upstairs. During the same police interview Shafer said Ross "rolled down the steps," the affidavit said.

Review of surveillance video showed that 55 minutes elapsed before 911 was called.

Video also showed Shafer and Ross were the only two people at the Freight Station.

Detectives found blood on the walls of the stairwell leading up to his apartment and a bloody sledgehammer.

Shafer was arraigned by on-call District Judge John Prebish, of Cresson, and is being held without bond at Cambria County Prison in Ebensburg.