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Murder, Arson Trial Opens In Strangulation Slaying, Fire

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A prosecutor says a woman who was strangled to death in her Pennsylvania home before the structure was set afire almost two years ago was able to give authorities the proof they needed to identify her killer.

Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo told jurors Monday that DNA from Calvin Purdie Jr. was found under the fingernails of the one hand of Charlotte Chaplin that wasn't incinerated in the fire authorities allege that the defendant set to try to cover up the May 2019 crime in Hershey.

Purdie's public defender said police focused on his client and gave only "cursory" scrutiny to other possible suspects.

(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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