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GETTYSBURG TIMES FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

Cruz charged for 1980 murders

BY JARRAD HEDES
Times Staff Writer
More than 31 years after
Nancy and daughter Deborah
Patterson were shot to death
outside their Freedom Township home, an arrest warrant is
out for their suspected killer.
Pennsylvania State Police
Trooper Scott R. Denisch,
criminal investigator with the
Gettysburg barracks, and Cpl.
George Cronin, filed criminal
homicide charges in January
2011 against Deborahs exboyfriend, Erasmo Junior
Cruz, 51, of Puerto Rico. They
are yet to locate Cruz, reportedly one of the top 15 wanted
criminals in his home country.
It was just before 3 a.m. on
August 30, 1980, when homemade Molotov cocktail explosives filled with gasoline went
off inside the 450 Middle Creek
Road residence where 41-yearold Nancy Patterson lived with
Paul Sell, 43, and her three children.
Son and brother Keith Patterson was charged and acquitted
of murder in June, 1981.
GARCIA TALKS
The ensuing investigation
first led police to Rupertio Garcia, who was 15 at the time of
the murders.
On Dec. 22, 2010, Garcia
told police he was at the Patterson residence with his friend
Cheepo, Erasmo and Erasmos
nephew Abraham on the night
of the murders.
Erasmo and Abraham asked
Cheepo and [me] to go with
them to commit a burglary,
Garcia said. I was expecting to
steal a VCR.
According to the affidavit of
probable cause filed Jan. 27,
2011, by troopers Denisch and
Cronin before District Judge
Mark Beauchat, the four males
reportedly drove to the Patterson residence in a Chrysler
sedan. They parked a short
distance from the house and
walked for what seemed like
5-10 minutes, Garcia said.
When they got to the scene,
Erasmo Cruz allegedly got out
of the vehicle, got a rifle from
the trunk and put on a ski mask.
I was stationed at the back
door and after a short time heard
a loud boom and saw flashes
from the residence, Garcia is
quoted in the police document.
I heard a gunshot and saw two
children run from the rear of the
residence.
Garcia got scared and ran
back to the vehicle. When
Erasmo and Abraham got back
to the vehicle, they reportedly
made him and Cheepo strip

down to their underwear and

told them if they ever talked
about the incident, they would
kill both of their mothers.
Erasmo said he had just
killed the woman that was carrying his child so dont think he
wouldnt kill my mother, Garcia said.
KEITH TELLS
Years later, in 1996, Nancys
son Keith Patterson told investigators Deborah had been dating
a Puerto Rican male named Junior Cruz, a.k.a. Erasmo Cruz,
around the time of the homicides. The two lived together in
a Harrisburg apartment before
Deborah moved back home and
began dating Randy Drybread.
I told the police when I was
arrested to check into Erasmo
Cruz, Patterson said. I knew
his relationship with Deborah
wasnt going well. I knew in my
heart it was him. Police didnt
want to hear it back then. I just
thank God that the true story
surrounding this will hopefully
come out now.
Keith reports about one
week prior to the homicides
he observed a Hispanic male
in a sedan parked along the
YEARS LATER The Middle Creek Road address in 2012.
roadway near the victims residence for almost an entire day,
Denisch wrote in an affidavit of
According to the affidavit,
probable cause. He believes
Abraham and Erasmo were at
the male was Erasmo Cruz.
Glorias house in Harrisburg
Keith was interviewed again
the night of the shooting, drinkin 2009 and told police Deboing and getting high. They left,
rah had broken off the relationshe said, and didnt return until
ship with Erasmo because he
7 the next morning.
beat her, including during a trip
There was a gun in the
they made to Puerto Rico.
house prior to the shooting and
In 2008, another one of Erasit was gone after the shooting,
mos ex-girlfriends, Stephanie
she told police. I asked AbraVest, said she was with him
ham if he killed Debbie and he
from late 1980 through early
said it is none of my business.
1981 and it was the only time
The notion that Erasmo Cruz
she had ever seen him cry.
could be responsible for the
He said he was upset that
murders is not a completely
his girlfriend died in the fire
new one.
and the girlfriends mother was
We had an investigator, Skip
also hurt, Vest said. He was
Gochenauer,
working on our
ERASMO CRUZ
a jealous person. When we had
behalf who was running down
disagreements, he struck me broke up with him. The famSusan Weikel, a friend of leads on Cruz, said current
and threatened to hurt me.
ily felt like prisoners in our own Deborahs, said Erasmo had a Adams County Common Pleas
nephew, Abraham, who owned President Judge John Kuhn,
home, she told police.
AWAKENS TO FIRE
who was chief public defender
Rose Heredia had a child a sawed off shotgun.
While recounting the events with Erasmo in 1982. She told
Abraham always bragged in 1981 and represented Keith
that surrounded the murders, police he was an abuser who about owning the shotgun, Patterson at trial. As I recall,
Judy Patterson, now Judy Ger- beat her repeatedly over the Susan said in the affidavit. He one of our arguments was we
sitz, said she awoke to find a years.
said he was the devil and hell tried to suggest Erasmo had a
fire in the house. She ran out
motive. He was Deborahs exI was beaten to the point of kill you.
the rear entrance and saw a man unconsciousness, Heredia said
boyfriend and they had been in
with a red ski mask and a gun. in the affidavit. He threatened ABUSIVE
Puerto Rico. There was some
The man said dont hurt to kill me and showed a phoGloria Rodriguez had three indication she left because he
the blondes, which would have tograph of a closed casket and children with Abraham and beat her up. After the murders
been me and my brother, she said he would do to me what he described their relationship as there were rumors that he was
told police. There was more did to the person in the casket. extremely abusive.
acting really weird but we just
than one person there and sevPolice confirmed the casThere was a night he at- couldnt pull anything concrete
eral shots were fired.
kets were closed for Nancy tempted to set the house on fire together.
Judy said Erasmo would and Deborah Patterson at their by lighting a couch on fire, she
Local attorney Gary Hartoften sit in her familys drive- viewings.
man,
who was district attorney
said.
way for hours after Deborah
in 1981 and prosecuted Keith,

Moving on,
Patterson still
carries scars
BY JARRAD HEDES
Times Staff Writer
Driving down the road nearly three
years ago, Keith Patterson saw flashing lights in the rear-view mirror and
immediately panicked.
Even though the state troopers just
wanted to talk to him about a new
suspect in the 1980 murders of his
mother Nancy and sister Deborah,
the 52-year-old Waynesboro resident
never felt comfortable.
Patterson himself had once been
charged and acquitted of the crimes.
I do have respect for the police
now, but 30 years ago it was a whole
different story, Patterson said during
a recent interview with the Gettysburg
Times. They treated me wrong. They
put me and my family through hell.
Since the acquittal, Patterson has
moved on with his life.

DARRYL WHEELER/GETTYSBURG TIMES

said its unusual for another

suspect to surface after all this
time, but he feels no stress over
the developments.
It would be more stressful
to me if it was a case where I
had gotten a conviction and the
police came to me 30 years later
and said you made a mistake, it
was someone else, Hartman
said. That would upset me a
great deal more than seeing a
new suspect in a case where
there was a complete acquittal.
When asked if Cruz was
discussed within the district
attorneys office as a possible
suspect at the time of the case
against Patterson, Hartman said
he couldnt comment.
POLICE MUM
State police, who declined to
give an update on the investigation for this story, have reportedly made at least two trips to
Puerto Rico in an effort to locate Erasmo, but returned both
times empty handed.
There was supposedly two
or three sightings but they never turned out to be anything,
says Keith Patterson. I thought
many times this would go unsolved. I worried that I would
die never knowing the real story. Hopefully this isnt the end,
but it is a big step.

DARRYL WHEELER/GETTYSBURG TIMES

SOLEMN VISIT Keith Patterson places flowers at his mothers and sisters unmarked gravesites.

while he sat in prison.

His 16-year-old sister Judy testified
against him. A judge ruled the statements inadmissible because they were
made under hypnosis.
I had not talked to my sister since
1987, Patterson said. When the police contacted me about a new suspect
and told me about this latest investigation, I got Judys number from my
brother and called her. To this day she
texts me every morning to make sure I
am up for work. We text 10-12 times
a day and talk on the phone in the evenings.
Prior to the murders Patterson
worked at the Littlestown Foundry,
and had little success when trying to
get his job back upon release from jail.
They told me nothing was available and I just knew that wasnt right,
Patterson says. A friend of mine told
me to call the state labor control board
MOVING ON
and I discussed my situation with
While he spoke to members of his them. One or two days later I got a call
family after the trial, Patterson still felt from the Foundry. They said, Hey
let down that no one went to his side Keith, we have a night shift position

available if you want it. Of course

I did. All I ever wanted was my job
back.
Pattersons career eventually led
him to the Taney Corporation in
Taneytown, Md., where he is in his
28th year unloading lumber for the
wood stairway manufacturer.
About two years after the trial, he
visited his grandmothers house on
several occasions, always noticing one
of the neighbors staring at him.
LOVE
Eventually, he and the neighbor,
Barbara, began dating and Patterson
asked her to be his bride, a role she
played until her death in 2006. Barbara
had two children from a previous relationship and together she and Patterson had a son, Ben, who Keith remains
very close with to this day.
I walked in to a ready-made family and honestly, I wouldnt do it any
differently if given the opportunity,
Patterson said.
Although Pattersons lasting mem-

swear to God if I would have seen him

hit her, I would have broken his neck.
It has always been in the back of my
mind to take a trip to Puerto Rico. I
know its not worth it, though. One
day he will receive the ultimate judgement and it will be out of our hands.
But I will have a few choice words for
him if this ever goes to court.
Nancy and Deborah are buried in St.
Marys Cemetery in Fairfield. A small
marker that once designated their final
resting place is no longer visible.
Patterson visits from time to time
always finding the two plots side-byside with no headstone, no indication
that anyone lies below.
He prays that changes someday.
I always told myself when this case
gets solved and that man gets convicted, I would pay the money to have the
stones made and placed there, Patterson says. Its a day I hope we all live
HATRED
I have a lot of hatred toward him, to see.
said an emotional Patterson. I feel
bad not knowing the extent of physical abuse he put my sister through. I
ory of his boyhood home will be that
of tragedy, he never hesitated to take
Barbara and the children for a drive
along Middle Creek Road in Freedom
Township.
I told them this is where my mom
and sister were killed, he said. I
never stop and walk around, though.
There used to be a pond there that is
a mud puddle now. It just breaks my
heart because we have so many memories there. We used to go swimming
all the time.
Police have yet to find Erasmo Cruz,
Deborahs ex-boyfriend who they now
believe is responsible for the murders.
He is thought to have returned to his
native Puerto Rico and Patterson has
spent many nights lying awake wondering what would happen if they
were ever face-to-face.