Keystone Today

State Attorney General Josh Shapiro revealed that justice was served nearly seven years after Jean Tuggy, 60, was shot and killed in her Pine Grove Mills home.

The shooter was recently found guilty of murder, according to a news release from Shapiro's office. He was identified as Christopher Kowalski, 35, of Isle of Palms, South Carolina. Following the murder, which took place on Jan. 21, 2016, Kowalski moved to South Carolina. Office of the Attorney General (OAG) agents visited Kowalski after he was located, and he admitted to the murder. He was then arrested and extradited to Pennsylvania for prosecution.

"Jean died several years ago and her family has not had closure since," Shapiro said in the news release. "Thanks to the diligent efforts of our lawyers, investigators, and fellow members of law enforcement who never gave up on this case, Christopher Kowalski is being held accountable for his actions. We hope today's guilty verdict brings justice to the Tuggy family and helps them heal."

Tuggy was found dead in her home, a victim of two gunshot wounds from a 9mm pistol, the news release noted. The case went cold after an initial investigation. It was reviewed five years later by the Attorney General's office as part of an effort to solve old murder cases. Kowalski, who was Tuggy's coworker at a Wegmans store, became a potential suspect. Tuggy and Kowalski were friends and he became romantically interested in her.

Kowalski owned a 9-mm pistol at the time of the murder; it was later sold, according to the news release. Investigators tracked the gun to the new owner, who turned it over to the police. Examination of the weapon revealed that it had many traits similar to the identified murder weapon.