Boyfriend of missing Ligonier woman found dead inside home

LIGONIER, Pa. (KDKA) -- Officials said a man set to be charged in connection with the death of his missing girlfriend in Westmoreland County was found dead on Thursday.

Roger Angelo Jr. was found dead on Thursday morning amid the investigation into the disappearance and death of 45-year-old Amy Shipley .

What happened to Amy Shipley?

The disappearance and death of Shipley has left Ligonier Borough reeling and looking for answers.

It all started on Sept. 8 when Shipley was allegedly killed by Angelo, her boyfriend. Over several days, authorities said Angelo took Shipley's body to a property his family frequented off Helens Lane in Cook Township and buried her in a shallow grave.

The Ligonier Valley Police Department started investigating the disappearance of Shipley on Sept. 13. The department, along with detectives in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania State Police troopers and FBI Pittsburgh's Evidence Response Team found and exhumed Shipley's body on Sept. 17.

Then on Thursday morning, law enforcement got a call about Angelo.

"We got a call to West Vincent Street, which was the location that we believe this crime was committed," said Ronal Zona, chief county detective for Westmoreland County. "The suspect that we had in this crime, Roger Angelo, he was found deceased at that location."

Angelo, the lead suspect in the case, was set to be charged for Shipley's death. Police said he committed suicide by stabbing. The investigation is still ongoing.

As to Shipley's memory, Ligonier is a community in mourning. KDKA-TV spoke with Jaime Lucchetti, who knew Shipley for most of her life. She was emotional when talking about her friend.

"She had a big personality. And it's hard because she was loved by so many people," said Lucchetti. "She had the biggest smile. She was beautiful inside and out. And she had the biggest personality, and that's what you fell in love with."

The Shipley family is asking for privacy at this time. Sources told KDKA-TV that they are looking to have a memorial in the future.

Anyone with any information on the case can contact Westmoreland County detectives at 724-830-3287, the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office at 724-830-3949 or Ligonier Valley police at 724-238-5105.