Querry, Curtis: 1974

On April 8, 1974, Curtis Brenner Querry, 23, of 800 South Colgate Lane in Greenwood, was shot in the head and killed at about 7:30 p.m. on April 9, 1974.  The shooting took place at the home of David A. Campbell of Box 596 RD 3, Altoona.  The home was located just north of the Minuet Manor along Route 220 in Antis Township.
Mr. Querry, worked as an equipment operator at D.P. Zimmerman Contractors of Juniata. On the day of the shooting, he did not have to go to work due to inclement weather.  He and Campbell went to Shirley’s Bar, in Juniata, about 10:00 a.m., and remained there until 5:45 p.m., drinking and shooting pool.  They returned to their workplace to pick up a car, which broke down in Pinecroft on the way to Bellwood.  The two men got a ride to Bellwood and went to the Safari Bar.  They drank there until going to Campbell’s home.  Things turned ugly at some point, and Mr. Querry reportedly called Campbell’s wife a “dirty name.”
Campbell took a .22 caliber handgun from a rack in his home, and shot Mr. Querry on the front porch.  A bullet pierced his face on the left side near the cheekbone and entered his brain.
State Police Sgt Ted Lazar was the first on the scene.  He found the victim face-dwon on the steps of the Campbells’ porch; Mr. Querry was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner Harold Troxell.  An autopsy was conducted at the Altoona Hospital.
Campbell, 39 at the time, was arraigned on April 10 before District Justice James Morrisey of Tyrone.  Campbell was so upset and emotional that he was not informed of his constitutional rights as the officers did not think he would comprehend them.  Campbell was worried about his wife and children, and was taken to Altoona Hospital for treatment of an emotional disturbance prior to his arraignment on the 17th.
On April 16, 1974, Campbell appeared again before District Justice Mowrey, who found a prima facie case against him.  Campbell was represented by M. David Halpern and did not testify.  After the arraignment, he was returned to the Blair County Prison, and the murder weapon was sent to the State Police crime lab in Harrisburg.
Curtis Querry was born in Altoona on June 20, 1950, the son of Donald and Geraldine (Brenner) Querry.  He was a graduate of Altoona Area High School, and had worked as a lifeguard at Prospect Pool in Altoona.  While working there on June 18, 1970, he had saved the life of Joseph Johnson, the 13-year-old son of a Altoona police officer.  He rescued the boy from the pool and performed mouth-to-mouth resucitation on him.  Mr. Querry was commended for his actions by Mayor William Prosser.