Authorities have issued a new search warrant in the case of a murdered teacher in Pennsylvania, this time involving the wife of a police sergeant.
WTAE reports that investigators have issued a warrant for the Facebook account belonging to Stephanie Watkins, the wife of Aliquippa police Sgt. Kenneth Watkins.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Rachael Deltondo, 33, was gunned down in the driveway of her mother’s home on the night of May 13. Deltondo had been out for ice cream with Lauren Watkins before she was found shot to death. The woman were also reportedly joined by a third friend for part of the evening. Earlier reports indicated that person may have been Rashawn Bolton.
Watkins is the daughter of Stephanie Watkins and Sgt. Kenneth Watkins, who had previously been placed on paid leave during the homicide investigation. WTAE reports that Lauren Watkins, who is reportedly a juvenile, has also been interviewed by the police. Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier had previously told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that neither the sergeant or his daughter were suspects in the apparent murder.
The warrant for Stephanie Watkins’ Facebook account, obtained by the news station, is reportedly seeking subscriber information including “profile contact information, status update, shares, notes, wall postings, friend listings, futures and past events video listings user photos and private messages.” The affidavit does not specify why authorities are seeking the Facebook account information.
Deltondo had been involved in a scandal that began when she was found in a parked car with a 17-year-old high school student in February 2016. Deltondo and the student, Sheldon Jeter Jr, reportedly told police who found them in the car that they were just friends, and Deltondo was not charged with any wrongdoing.
But in late 2017, someone from inside the police department allegedly leaked the police report of the encounter to the local newspaper the Beaver Countian, and Deltondo was suspended from her teaching position at PA Cyber Charter School after the story broke.
Investigators have reportedly questioned both Shelton Jeter Jr. and his brother Rashwan Bolton, and both have said they were romantically involved with Deltondo. Jeter and Deltondo reportedly had an on-again, off-again romantic relationship and had remained friendly. Bolton reportedly told authorities that he had been seeing Deltondo romantically since late last year.
Jeter’s lawyer has denied that his client had any involvement in Deltondo’s death, and said the slain teacher told his client that she was working as an informant in an investigation into the Aliquippa Police Department, and was set to testify before a grand jury.
According to WTAE, authorities have issued a warrant for the geolocation data from Jeter’s cell phone.
The warrant obtained by the news outlet states that police believe Jeter was “substantially acquainted with both Rachael DelTondo and Lauren Police Watkins,” and said that Jeter attempted to “minimize his involvement with and knowledge of both” to investigators, and that he “provided false or misleading information to the investigative team.”
Police have not named any suspects in the investigation. This is a developing story.
