The Terre Hill man who killed himself in South Carolina over the weekend is a possible suspect in last Wednesday's home-invasion robbery in Earl Township, New Holland police announced late this morning.
The possibility that 21-year-old Travis Meints robbed 90-year-old Anna M. Sensenig at her 404 Kurtz Road, New Holland, home is being pursued along with several other leads, New Holland Police Chief John V. Yost said in a press release.
Sensenig died Saturday at Ephrata Community Hospital. Her cause of death is not known. Results of an autopsy have not been released.
Prior to issuing the press release, Yost told New Era reporters that police have "nothing specific'' that places Meints in the Sensenig home.
But the chief said investigators see some similarities between the New Holland case and a home invasion in South Carolina Sunday in which Meints was considered a suspect. New Holland police have been in touch with South Carolina authorities.
There are also similarities in the Kurtz Road home-invasion robbery and other recent unsolved robberies that have occurred at northern Lancaster County locations, New Holland police noted.
In the 11:30 a.m. press statement, Yost said:
"The New Holland police department is receiving numerous calls from the news media in regards to the death of Travis Meints in South Carolina. We have been in contact with authorities in South Carolina concerning their investigation.
"Mr. Meints is being looked at as a possible suspect in the Kurtz Road robbery along with several other leads that are being pursued. We will update the media if there are any new developments."
In the New Holland case, a robber believed to be in his 20s parked his car in Sensenig's driveway about 6:30 p.m. last Wednesday, telling her he needed help because his car had broken down.
After Sensenig gave him a small amount of money, he forced his way inside, police said, ransacking her home of 48 years, holding her at gunpoint and demanding more money. He disconnected a telephone in the home while making demands.
The robber and his car — a dark-colored sedan or compact vehicle — match descriptions from armed robberies last week in East Earl and East Cocalico townships, police said.
In South Carolina, Meints was suspected of taking money, cell phones, a knife and a Ford Taurus in a home-invasion robbery.