Woman's handyman considered suspect in her disappearance

WHITEHALL BOROUGH, Pa. — Police are actively searching for a woman who has been missing since last week, and a suspect in her disappearance is in custody, officials said.

Elizabeth Wiesenfeld, 67, last spoke to her family April 29.

When her family couldn't get in touch with her the next day, and she didn't show up for work, her daughter reported her missing.

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Tuesday, police moved their suspect, Douglas Berry of Port Vue, to the county jail, saying he is not cooperating with their investigation and they are asking for the public’s help.

Channel 11 went to Berry's home, which is situated up a long driveway in the woods. Allegheny County Police said they searched that area, and the 200 acres surrounding the property, looking for Wiesenfeld.

Police found blood in Wiesenfeld's bed and then learned a person in a mask had used her debit card at a PNC Bank in Whitehall. The masked person is believed to be Berry, who is a handyman employed by Wiesenfeld to take care of several properties, police said.

“The family said this is totally out of the ordinary for her to run off, so again, that’s why we think something is afoul here,” Allegheny County Police Inspector Andrew Schurman said.

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Police found a gun during a search of Berry’s house and arrested him on weapons-related charges, not Wiesenfeld's disappearance. However, officials said Tuesday that Berry is considered a suspect and he is not cooperating with police.

Investigators are working to piece together Berry’s path in the hours after Wiesenfeld’s disappearance.

Russel Jameyson, a neighbor, told Channel 11 he talked to Berry shortly after the investigation began.

"He said, 'I owed her some money for a real estate deal.' He had to default on that loan. I said, 'Did you try to pay her back?' and he said yeah he made a few trips over there, but she wasn’t home."

Cox Media Group