Pa. man charged with homicide found dead in prison cell

YORK, Pa. (AP) — A central Pennsylvania man accused of killing the mother of his child has been found dead in his prison cell.

York County prison officials said today that 28-year-old James Earl Greer Jr. was found unresponsive in his cell around 3 a.m.

He was facing charges in the strangling death of 32-year-old Heather Marie Bechtel in Lower Paxton Township on Dec. 7.

Authorities alleged that after killing his ex-girlfriend in her apartment, Greer tried unsuccessfully to poison himself with household cleaning solutions. He was treated at a local hospital and returned to police custody.

It wasn’t clear what caused Greer’s death. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.

Pennsylvania State Police and the York County coroner’s office are investigating.