Missing owner of Wilkes-Barre home where body found has active PFA against man

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WILKES-BARRE — A man who formerly resided at 142 Carlisle St., Wilkes-Barre, where a decomposed body was found in the basement last month, has an active protection-from abuse order against him from the previous home owner reportedly missing.

Debra Jane Fox, 69, owned the residence until the property was sold at a Luzerne County upset sale in September 2023.

Fox filed a petition for a protection-from abuse order against Jason Paul Race, 43, who also lived at the Carlisle Street residence on Aug. 14, 2023.

In her PFA petition, Fox claimed elderly abuse noting she was starved, assaulted, shot with pellet guns, pistol whipped, denied personal hygiene products, forced to use illicit drugs and had money stolen from her.

Luzerne County Judge Tarah C. Toohil granted the PFA order prohibiting Race from having any contact with Fox for three years as the judge’s order expires in August 2026.

Wilkes-Barre police detectives are searching for Fox following the discovery of a decomposed body in the basement of 142 Carlisle St., on Feb. 27. Fox is not reported as missing on NamUs, an online database.

The house remained under police control for several days as state police Troop P Forensic Services Unit, city police and students in the anthropology course at Mercyhurst University in Erie assisted in collecting decomposed remains.

Earlier this month, District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce, Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Joseph Coffay and Coroner Jill Matthews in a joint news release confirmed the remains are human and the identity has not been confirmed. The gender of the remains, if known by investigators, was not released.

Court records say Race resided at 142 Carlisle St. when he was charged by city police with obstructing officers from conducting a welfare check on a child they suspected was sexually assaulted on July 27, 2023.

Police found a blood covered man in the area of Division Street and Carey Avenue who claimed he was kept in the basement of 142 Carlisle St. The bloody man allegedly reported he was held against his will after being accused of molesting the child.

As officers attempted to check on the welfare of the girl, court records say, Race and Faith Beamer, 39, obstructed officers from entering the residence and claimed the girl was not inside.

Police eventually found the girl and an infant in a bedroom of 142 Carlisle St.

Prosecutors withdrew obstruction charges against Race and Beamer on March 12 under the premise city police were to refile the cases against the pair.

A check Monday returned no new charges against Race and Beamer.