A Penn Township man will face charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, strangulation, and three counts of aggravated indecent assault in Lancaster County Court for killing his 49-year-old wife Jami Harrison in February 2024.

Matthew Harrison, 48 of the 2200 block of E. Mount Hope Road, waived his preliminary hearing on the charges Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Torrey Landis.

On Feb. 5, 2024, the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department was dispatched to the 2200 block of E. Mount Hope Road for a report of a deceased female in her bed.

The call came from an 11-year-old juvenile who found the victim with “blue lips and bruises all over her body” and that the defendant “is really mean and hurts” the victim.

Responding officers found the deceased victim inside the residence.

The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office determined the victim’s manner of death to be homicide with the cause asphyxia by strangulation. Several signs of sexual assault to the victim prior to her death were also noted during the autopsy.

A witness reported last seeing the victim around 7:00 a.m. on Feb. 5 and that the defendant and victim had argued Feb. 2, after which the defendant left the home and was staying at a nearby hotel. Hotel staff realized the defendant had left the hotel around 1:40 p.m. on Feb. 5.

Harrison was eventually taken into custody after a brief standoff with police at a hotel in Pittston, Pennsylvania on Feb. 8, 2024, at approximately 5:21 p.m.

Forensic data extraction from the victim and multiple other witnesses’ phones revealed incriminating messages sent from the defendant.

Harrison is scheduled to be formally arraigned April 26.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick is lead prosecutor and ADA Jennifer Ponessa is assisting.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc.