West Hempfield Township police, with assistance from the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office, continue investigations into two incidents that involved fatalities.
Following the Wednesday afternoon discoveries of three deaths at two locations, much has been learned through interviews and evidence/information collection and analysis.
As of Thursday afternoon, no charges have been filed regarding the incidents.
We are providing information about what took place at each location while stressing the investigations are ongoing.
- Just after 1 p.m. Wednesday, West Hempfield Township police responded to a residence in the 600 block of Hempfield Hill Road for a check on well-being.
Police found two men, a father and his son, deceased at the residence. Both men sustained gunshot wounds and a firearm was recovered at the residence.
The deceased are:
Scott M. Halstead, 57, and Justin S. Halstead, 29, both of the Hempfield Hill Road address.
Both sustained gunshot wounds to the head.
Lancaster County Probation/Parole officials requested police check on the home after correspondences and appointments with Justin Halstead were unanswered.
The men had been deceased for a period of time, possibly days. Autopsies are scheduled for Friday; determinations on causes and manners of the deaths could follow those examinations.
The preliminary assessment is that Scott Halstead shot his son then himself. No one else is believed to be involved in the deaths of the men.
A motive for the shootings is still being investigated. We will not be speculating in any way at this point.
- Just before 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a reported shooting in the 300 block of Main Street, Mountville.
Police determined four individuals - two women and two men - were at the home when the shootings happened.
Darren Hatcher, 37 and deceased, was determined to be the only person who fired shots.
Hatcher, of Marietta, first assaulted his estranged wife, then shot a 20-year-old man in the leg. Hatcher then shot himself in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A firearm was recovered from the scene.
Police determined there was domestic turmoil between Hatcher, his estranged wife and the 20-year-old man, who was the wife’s boyfriend. Hatcher had recently been served with a protection-from-abuse order.
The second woman at the home, a relative of the wife, was not injured.
We are not releasing the names of the women or the 20-year-old man.
The wife, 41, of the Main Street address, was treated at a hospital and released.
The wounded man was treated at a hospital and released Thursday.
Columbia, East Hempfield Township and Manor Township police provided assistance at the scenes.
Neither investigation is concluded. Anyone with information is asked to contact West Hempfield Township police (717-285-5191) or submit through the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office CrimeWatch page.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us