The husband of a Pennsylvania pediatrician is accused of strangling her and setting her body on fire while the couple’s seven-year-old daughter slept nearby.
Dr. Julia Pederson, a 41-year-old pediatrician with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, was discovered dead at approximately 7:05 a.m. Saturday after a fire was reported at a home in the 2900 block of Green Street in Harrisburg, roughly 100 miles west of Philadelphia.
Harrisburg police said their investigation determined that the fire was not the cause of Pederson’s death.
Jonathan Gatto, 42, Pederson’s husband, was taken into custody Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder.
He also faces charges including abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, endangering the welfare of children, arson and aggravated arson.
According to an affidavit reviewed by WGAL, Gatto told investigators that he and Pederson had been discussing a separation amid marital problems and were trying to decide how to explain the situation to their daughter.
Gatto reportedly said he woke to the sound of smoke alarms and ran downstairs to remove the child from the home.
He claimed he went back for Pederson but burned his hand while attempting to enter the bedroom, according to the affidavit. Blood testing later indicated that Pederson had died before the fire began.
Dr. Julia Pederson, 41, was found dead Saturday after a small fire was reported at a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, home
Police said the fire did not cause Pederson’s death. Her husband, 42-year-old Jonathan Gatto, was arrested and charged with murder
Gatto allegedly told police that Pederson had been feeling unwell on October 9 after beginning a new medication to treat migraines.
He said he heard a loud noise sometime between 11 p.m. and midnight that sounded like someone falling down the stairs, according to the affidavit reported by authorities.
Gatto told investigators he asked whether Pederson was all right. She allegedly mumbled a response before closing the bedroom door, WHP reported.
Investigators also said Gatto reportedly returned to the bedroom around 2 a.m. to offer his wife ibuprofen.
According to the legal filing, Pederson was allegedly startled by his presence, prompting Gatto to return to bed.
Later, when the smoke alarms sounded, Gatto claimed the flames inside the bedroom prevented him from reaching Pederson.
He then remained outside and waited for emergency responders to arrive, the affidavit states.
A Tuesday autopsy concluded that Pederson suffered fatal traumatic injuries before the fire. Her death was officially classified as a homicide.
Investigators described the blaze as “very small,” while a Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal determined after examining the scene that it had been deliberately started.
Firefighters reported seeing only light smoke rising from the home, according to the affidavit.
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First responders performed CPR on Pederson and then rushed her to the Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, where she was declared dead.
Gatto allegedly told police that Pederson had not been feeling well after starting to take new medication for her migraines
Gatto told police that he woke up to smoke detectors going off at the home on the 2900 block of Green Street
A GoFundMe fundraiser started by Pederson’s sister, Abbey, noted that her daughter was in the second grade.
The fundraiser looked to cover funeral expenses and establish a scholarship fund for the little girl’s future. As of Thursday, about $23,800 had been raised.
Pederson was a Harvard University graduate who received her medical degree from Stanford’s School of Medicine and did her pediatric residency at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) told CBS21 on Tuesday that it was ‘deeply saddened’ by Pederson’s death.
UPMC called Pederson a ‘beloved pediatrician’ and a ‘valued member’ of its Children’s Community Pediatrics team.
‘Dr. Pederson devoted her career to caring for children and supporting families, and her loss is felt deeply by colleagues, patients, and communities she served,’ the statement continued.
Pederson joined the hospital in February, according to a Facebook post from UPMC.
Pederson was remembered as a ‘beloved pediatrician’ with a daughter in the second grade after her death
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Fran Chardo, the Dauphin County district attorney, called the circumstances around Pederson’s death ‘devastating.’
‘With the domestic violence case, it can happen,’ Chardo said, according to WGAL. ‘These things occur suddenly and without any warning.’
Gatto has been denied bail. He remained at Dauphin County Prison as of Wednesday, according to Pennsylvania court records viewed by the Daily Mail.
He is scheduled to appear in court on October 28 for a preliminary hearing.
Gatto did not have an attorney listed in court records. Legal filings said he had not requested a public defender.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office and the Dauphin County Coroner’s Office for further comment.