Sharpless, Betty Jane: 1966

On July 1, 1966, Betty Jane Sharpless was shot by her son, Ronald Eugene Sharpless, in the living room at their home, after an argument .   She was fatally wounded by a .22 caliber rifle and a 20 gauge shotgun.  Sharpless had been adopted by the Sharplesses shortyly after his birth, was just 13 years old at the time of the shooting.  Betty Jane was shot in the stomach, and died on a neighbor’s porch after running from the home, apparently to seek help.
Betty Jane (Fauth) Sharpless was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Fauth of Altoona.  She had lived in Philipsburg, and married Glenn Sharpless.  Both were graduates of Philipsburg High School and verterans of World War II.  He was at work at the time of the shooting.
After being indicted by a grand jury, he was detained in the Blair County Detention Home until his trial that October.
Frank Warfel was the District attorney.  He did not seek the death penalty.
Sharpless was tried by a jury in Hollidaysburg.  In the testimony, Sharpless claimed that his mother had forced him shoplift from the time of his adoption until the week she was shot.  He claimed she showed him how to hide the stolen items, and slapped him if he refused, or would bribe him with a milkshake.  He stated they would leave the store alone, and then meet again at the car.  His defense attorney, Thomas Peoples, Jr (later president judge of Blair County) told the jury the boy had been an instrument of his mother and her threats contributed to his state of mind on the day of the shooting.  Glenn Sharpless, the father, described his son as a humble and obedient child, and stated he had never displayed a rebellious nature.  The jury convicted him of first degree murder.
The presiding judge, John M. Klepser, then ordered the jury to determine the penalty for sentencing.  The two choices were death, or life imprisonment.  The jury returned, and said it had not realized the severity of the penalties.  The foreman said they wanted permission to alter the verdict.  Judge Klepser informed them the jury was not able to alter the verdict, and sent them back to deliberate until they reached a decision on the penalty.  After 90 minutes of disagreement, the jury returned to the courtroom, declared they could not reach an agreement.  Judge Klepser declared a mistrial was declared.
At the second trial of Ronald Sharpless, he entered a guilty plea to second degree murder on Jan 30, 1967 before President Judge John M. Klepser and Judge Samuel H. Jubelirer.  DA Amos Davis agreed to the plea.  At no time did Sharpless ever deny his responsibility for his mother’s death.