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Computers seized, affair alleged in Roseboro case
Intelligencer Journal
Published: Aug 01, 2008
01:02 EST
Denver
By P.J. REILLY, Staff

Michael Roseboro
 
1 of 1
It's been more than a week since Jan Roseboro was killed inside her Reinholds home July 22.

As of Thursday evening, no arrests had been made in the slaying of the 45-year-old mother of four.

Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman said that doesn't mean authorities are sitting on their hands.

"I want to assure the community that law enforcement is working relentlessly on this tragic case," he said. "Murder investigations are a solemn responsibility. There are often a lot of leads and investigation which must take place behind the scenes."

Stedman said law-enforcement officials must do "all that we can."

"We must also be mindful that the presumption of innocence is part of our criminal justice system and protects even the accused until such time as they are convicted at trial."

According to court documents unsealed Thursday, one of the leads police are investigating is a report that Jan Roseboro's husband of 19 years, Michael J. Roseboro, 41, was having an extramarital affair at the time his wife was killed.

A woman whose name was redacted by authorities in the documents released to the public told police she had sex with Michael Roseboro just a few hours before Jan Roseboro was pronounced dead.

This and other information was contained in an affidavit filed to obtain a search warrant for the Roseboro Funeral Home, 533 Walnut St., Denver. Police seized computers there believed to be used by Michael Roseboro to contact the woman via e-mail.

The affidavit states "it is reasonable to believe that Roseboro would have been less likely to use the shared household computer, which was accessible by the victim and the four children, and more likely to use his work e-mail to access e-mail accounts and/or instant messenger which relate to or reference the extramarital affair … ."

Investigators wrote that the computers could "potentially assist in establishing a chronology of events and confirming the existence of the extramarital" affair.

According to police, Michael Roseboro has said he left his wife beside the pool at their home at 107 W. Main St. around 10 p.m. July 22 when he went to bed.

He said he got up to go to the bathroom about an hour later and noticed the pool lights were still on.

Michael Roseboro told police he then went outside and found his wife floating in the pool. He called 911 at 11:03 p.m. and was performing CPR when medics arrived.

Jan Roseboro was pronounced dead a short time later at Ephrata Community Hospital.

After performing an autopsy the next day, forensic pathologist Dr. Wayne Ross ruled Jan Roseboro died as a result of a severe beating and freshwater drowning. He listed the manner of death as homicide.

Among the wounds Jan Roseboro sustained was a hole in her skull and an adjacent "L"-shaped marking Ross said was consistent with a marking that would be made by a tool.

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Jan Roseboro's wounds should have caused her to bleed a great deal, yet investigators found "no evidence of blood" at the house, an affidavit states.

"Perpetrators of crimes, especially criminal homicide, will attempt to conceal the offense by cleaning the crime scene and making efforts to remove blood and other trace evidence," an affidavit states.

On July 24, police searched the Roseboro home and used "mechanisms to detect blood not visible to the naked eye," but still they found no blood. Police also seized cleaning agents and tools from the home.

Investigators have learned that three of the Roseboros' four children were home at the time Michael Roseboro called 911. The couple's oldest son, Samuel, was the only one not at home.

When police interviewed Michael Roseboro the day after his wife was killed, officers noticed multiple scratches on his face and a fresh cut on his left hand.

On July 25, investigators interviewed the woman who told them she had been having an affair with Michael Roseboro.

She told police she had sex with Roseboro between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on July 22, an affidavit states.

The woman also told police Michael Roseboro called her around 7 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. the same day.

On July 27, an affidavit says, police again interviewed the woman, who reported that Michael Roseboro had corresponded with her via e-mail "in excess of of 20 times from the Roseboro Funeral Home."

The affidavit does not state when police executed the search warrant on the funeral home.

Stedman said he had the affidavit for the warrant sealed until Thursday "for public safety reasons."

"There was also some information in there that we didn't want to taint interviews we had not yet completed," Stedman said.

More interviews, as well as "forensic examinations," have yet to be conducted as part of the investigation, Stedman wrote in an e-mail to the Intelligencer Journal on Thursday evening. He did not elaborate.

E-mail: preilly@lnpnews.com


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QUOTE(BeachGirlFromPA @ Aug 3 2008, 08:14 AM)
Groundpounder, I think many on this forum are interested in the progression and possibilities in this case because it is so very local, many of us have either grown up with Jan or Mike or have had contact with the Binkley or Roseboro family. When things happen to people that are in your area, or share many commonalities with you, I believe it makes you focus on it more intently, partly in an attempt to understand just how someone who shares those commonalities could find themselves in that particular situation.

I am not playing CSI. Please remember, without knowing everyone personally on this forum, it's not wise to make assumptions. Many are intelligent, many are educated and many have careers and vocations you are unaware of.

And waiting for an arrest doesn't signal the end of the case. Remember, until that verdict is read, for anyone who is ultimately charged, if anyone, if ever, there may be any number of theories postulated by the State and by the defense attorneys.

This forum is for the general public to share their views, opinions and ideas. To suggest that we all wait for the arrest sort of negates the purpose of the forum. If we aren't allowed ideas, theories and general sharing of opinions here, then LOL should just just down TB. We'll all just sit mindlessly by, quiet as a mouse, with nothing to say, nothing to suggest. And ONLY when the news is printed and a somewhat final occurence, as you suggest an arrest might be, happens will be allowed to offer our ideas and reactions.

Although I moved several years ago, I've known and been in contact with persons involved. I do want to know what happened and make no apologies for that. Neither do I apologize for wanting to know what tool or item was used to kill Jan, by whoever did it.

I don't think I'm alone in this.

If we all should just sit back and be quiet till an arrest is made, can I ask you why you are on this topic on the forum. Could it be you are inquisitive and perhaps have ventured an opinion? That would be a bit hypocritical, don't you think?


Nicely stated BEACHGIRL.
Forums: allow for freedom of expression and freedom of speech. They give the community a voice. There will always be individuals throughout our lifetime that will attempt to stomp upon this First Amendment right. Persons get furious and emotions flair when you dare to disagree with their position.
Personally, I have never worried about anyone taking an adversarial view to mine. It boils down to respect for another person's opinion stated which should be without fear of reprisal, ridicule, profanity and the like. Different people bring varying life circumstances to the table and every one's view although different are all important.
GOOD JOB BEACHGIRL!

denver rose
QUOTE(groundpounder @ Aug 2 2008, 11:48 PM)
A lot of you folks need to stop watching so much Law & Order and CSI. The FBI BAU would like to have as much info about murders as you folks are putting on this board. Why don't we all wait till this incident plays out to the end. The end being an arrest for murder.

wgal is reporting that they charge the husband sat. night

peddler
QUOTE(denver rose @ Aug 3 2008, 09:06 AM)

Nicely stated BEACHGIRL.
Forums: allow for freedom of expression and freedom of speech. They give the community a voice. There will always be individuals throughout our lifetime that will attempt to stomp upon this First Amendment right. Persons get furious and emotions flair when you dare to disagree with their position.
Personally, I have never worried about anyone taking an adversarial view to mine. It boils down to respect for another person's opinion stated which should be without fear of reprisal, ridicule, profanity and the like. Different people bring varying life circumstances to the table and every one's view although different are all important.
GOOD JOB BEACHGIRL!



WGAL and WHTM are reporting that Michael Roseboro has been arrested for the murder of Jan. The links for WGAL is: http://www.wgal.com/index.html. WHTM reported the breaking news on their 9:00a.m. show.
newsviewer
Thank you for the update....
BeachGirlFromPA
http://www.wgal.com/news/17078422/detail.html

EAST COCALICO TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- East Cocalico Township police have arrested and charged Michael Roseboro with his wife's death.Jan Roseboro was found dead in her own backyard last month.An autopsy showed Jan Roseboro was beaten to death and suffered a puncture wound to the head.

Her husband notified police saying he found his wife's dead body in the swimming pool.Investigators told News 8 they noticed several scratches on Michael Roseboro's face at the time.He was arrested late Saturday night and is being held in Lancaster County Prison without bail.He faces one count of criminal homicide, the maximum penalty is life in prison without the possibility of parole.The Lancaster County District Attorney will determine if this case is eligible for the death penalty.Police said no other arrests are expected.A press conference with police and the district attorney will be held Monday morning.
Kate
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