The evidence was examined again and the case was sent to a grand jury, which recommended charges.
An East Bangor man was charged today with the murder of his wife in 2001 in a Monroe County home, according to court papers.
Edward Yale, 74, of the 300 block of Bray Street, is being held without bail after an arraignment this morning before District Judge Brian Germano in Marshalls Creek, court papers say.
Joan Lorraine Yale, 61, died March 22, 2001, at her home in Middle Smithfield Township. She was found by her husband at the bottom of the basement stairs, court papers say. He told investigators at the time that she was going down the stairs to get to her car on the way to a hairdresser's appointment, court papers say.
While an autopsy showed multiple fractures and other signs of blunt force trauma, the initial finding on the manner of death was "undetermined," court papers say. County Coroner Bob Allen, who was an assistant coroner in 2001 and was appointed to his current office in 2011, said the cause and manner of death remained pending until he became coroner and met with the district attorney and Pennsylvania State Police. They then reopened the case.
Dr. Marianne Hamel, a forensic pathologist, was asked to re-examine the evidence, including pictures of the victim and the scene, and she made a determination that authorities took to an investigating grand jury, Allen and court papers say.
Broken bones in the victim's neck indicated "stomping or beating" and "manual strangulation," Hamel said in court papers. The victim had defensive wounds on her hands, Hamel said in court papers.
Hamel reported she expected to see blood on the 11 steps in the narrow staircase and items would have been pushed aside had the 5-foot, 6-inch, 290-pound woman fallen. Hamel determined this was not the case. She also said the victim suffered "multiple blows to the head and neck" and the fractures were "inconsistent" with a fall, court papers say. The victim had several lacerations but there was no blood on the steps, according to court papers.
Allen said he reissued a death certificate with the cause of death being multiple blunt force trauma and the manner of death homicide.
The grand jury heard the case and recommended criminal charges against Edward Yale, court papers and Allen said.
During interviews with family members, state police found the Yales had a contentious relationship that led Joan Yale to store items at her son's home, saying she wanted to get them "out of the residence in case something happened to her," court papers say. The locked boxes contained notes dated in March 2001 and detailed verbal abuse and failed attempts to get Edward Yale psychological help, court papers say.
Edward Yale, while saying the relationship was fine, told police on June 21, 2012, it was possible they argued about her will and her bequeathing the house to her sons, court papers say. Edward Yale told police he put $50,000 of work into the home, court papers say.
Ronald James Litts, Joan Yale's son from a previous marriage, told police he often served as a mediator when the victim and Edward Yale argued, according to court papers. He told police Edward Yale wanted 50 percent of everything his wife had before they were married, court papers say. He said Edward Yale would call Joan Yale, "Nazi, "elephant" and "fat pig," court papers say.
The victim's brother, Harold John Myers, told police his sister was "scared to death" of her husband, according to court papers.
Pennsylvania State Trooper William Skotleski said the state police periodically reexamine open cases and the undetermined death of Joan Yale was among those unsolved investigations. New witnesses and evidence can surface after years in an open case and technological improvements can be key, Skotleski said today.
"Obviously advancements in technology allow us to look at a case in new light," he said.
Skotleski said he could not go into detail about what new evidence tipped authorities off in the 2001 murder, but said all of that will be revealed in court.
Edward Yale is charged with murder and tampering with evidence. He is being held in Monroe County jail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday in Germano's court.
Reporter Sarah M. Wojcik contributed to this report.