By Duane Good EDITOR
It is now 30 years, two months and counting since Tracy Marie Kroh of Enterline was legally declared missing.
A police investigation has ruled the matter both a kidnapping and murder, as well as a missing-person case. Next week, the only individual thus far facing criminal charges as a result of the investigation goes before a Dauphin County Common Pleas Judge.
Matthew A. Webster has formal arraignment scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11 before Judge Deborah E. Curcillo.
A Halifax-area resident, Webster is at this time facing only one charge – perjury, a third-degree felony. He was taken into custody Aug. 8 – almost 30 years to the day Kroh was declared missing – and, as of press time, remains in the county prison on $500,000 bail.
He will be expected Oct. 11 to enter a plea of ‘‘guilty’’ or ‘‘not guilty’’ to the perjury charge. It also is possible that his defense counsel’s motion for a reduction in his bail will be a part of the court proceeding.
The Story So Far
Webster, 54, is accused of lying to an investigative grand jury impaneled on the Kroh case.
He allegedly told the jury that he had not had a conversation with a woman about her own forthcoming testimony before the court.
However, a court-authorized wiretap confirmed that such a conversation had, in fact, taken place between Webster and the woman, whom authorities have described as a ‘‘material witness’’ in the Kroh investigation.
According to the wiretap, Webster and the woman had discussed what she should say when she herself was called to testify.
Webster’s own testimony was given before the jury Aug. 8, after which he was placed under arrest, booked and jailed, with the
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