A pair allegedly pushed a Penn State professor to his death after believing they were named in his will, police said.
Rockview State police uncovered the murder plot after finding Ronald Bettig’s body in a quarry on Wednesday.
The media studies professor had been friends with the two suspected killers, Danelle Geier and George Ishler, who police said were “known drug users,” according to the criminal complaint.
The two told police they believed Bettig named them in a new version of his will, and are accused of killing him for the benefits.
Ishler had lured the 56-year-old associate professor to a quarry near Rimmey Road in the Potter Township, with the promise of being able to harvest marijuana plants along the cliffs.
Once up there, police said the 39-year-old suspect shoved Bettig off, dropping him 80 feet below to his death.
Ishler told police he heard Bettig’s body “crunch” upon impact, according to the police report.
The two then faked the scene by putting Bettig’s water bottles, flashlight, hand rake and a bag near the quarry, along with the professor’s car, to make it look like he was alone.
The professor had been missing since Aug. 12, but the two waited three days before telling police Bettig was gone, suggesting he might have fled to California.
The two were busted after officers noticed inconsistencies with their stories.
The day Bettig was killed, Ishler had gotten into an argument with the professor, calling him “ignorant” to Geier.
The pair originally planned to kill the scholar by drowning him during a trip to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, police said.
Bettig was also living with Geier before his murder, police said.
In a text message to Ishler, Geier wrote, “So ready I am pissed off,” in a likely reference to killing the academic.
She told officers that she was angry at Bettig for criticizing how she was raising her child.
Bettig had been a professor at Penn State since 1988.
Geier was arraigned on Saturday and faces charges for murder, aggravated assault, evidence-tampering and conspiracy.
Ishler had already been charged with first-and third-degree murder on Friday.
Source: NY Daily News