A man from Pennsylvania is accused of murdering his mother in cold blood to cash in on her life insurance policy.
The Clearfield resident has since been charged with homicide and is awaiting sentencing.
Police Called to Potential Crime Scene
In mid-March 2024, Pennsylvania police officers were dispatched to a home in Clearfield Borough after an older woman had died after a cardiac arrest, according to WJAC.
According to the police report, Paula Lombardo, a 69-year-old woman, was found face down on her bed “ice cold and stiff as a board.”
Victim Was Perfectly Fine the Evening Before
Investigators at the home of Lombardo spoke with several people who had come into contact with her before she died.
According to Progress News, she was fine the evening before. The victim was seen eating her dinner with no apparent problems.
Found in Unusual Circumstances
Police and several witnesses expressed suspicion after the victim’s body was found face-down on a pillow.
As Lombardo suffered from Parkinson’s disease, along with having a “deep brain stimulator,” she had severe mobility issues.
Police Question the Victim’s Son
The police also questioned Lombardo’s son, David, who said he spoke with his mother on the morning of her death around 6:30 a.m.
Yet police were informed a nurse had called the home around 7 a.m. to find Lombardo not breathing.
Nurse Recalls Odd Encounter with David
According to the nurse, her encounter with David was rather unusual. He informed her that his mother wasn’t breathing before excusing himself to use the bathroom.
Five minutes later, he returned and said his mother was cold before telling the nurse to call someone, per Progress News.
David Shows No Emotion During Police Questioning
During the police questioning, David showed little to no emotion about his mother’s passing.
However, he made an unusual respect in asking for his mother’s death certificate as he needed that to access her bank account and collect a life insurance payment.
Autopsy Results Lead to Shocking Discovery
Police were already suspicious of foul play when the autopsy results came back.
The coroner deemed Lombardo had died as a result of asphyxiation. The police then deemed the 69-year-old’s death a homicide.
Son Admits to Moving Mother’s Dead Body
According to David, the last time he saw his mother on the morning of her death, she had been sitting in a rocking chair.
He later revealed to the police that he had tried to move her body after she was found dead.
Police Allege David Killed His Mother
After gathering all the evidence they could from eyewitnesses, the police came to a terrifying conclusion.
Lombardo’s son David is accused of strangling his mom to death before placing her face-down on her bed.
Son Charged with Homicide
David was later charged with criminal homicide, among a plethora of other charges, according to online court records.
He was charged with assault, strangulation, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and recklessly endangering a person.
Residents of Clearfield Left in Shock
The residents of the area were left in shock after hearing of such a heinous crime.
Many were left wondering how a son could kill his own mother for a life insurance policy. If found guilty, David will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison.
