UPDATE: Philadelphia Woman Charged In Wrightstown Murder
Law enforcement officials on Wednesday plan to announce charges against a woman who allegedly was behind an October 2023 murder in Wrightstown Township.
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has not released the name of the woman ahead of the press conference, but sources have indicated the woman will be charged, likely on Wednesday, for the killing of Richard MacFarland, 72.
A woman MacFarland knew was quickly identified by detectives as a “person of interest.” She is now considered a suspect, which led to Wednesday’s planned announcement, sources said.
NewtownPANow.com obtained the search warrant filed by detectives from the district attorney’s office and Newtown Township police, who patrol Wrightstown Township.
MacFarland’s homicide became public last October after a press release from the coroner’s office. Few details were released at the time, but this news organization was able to confirm MacFarland’s body was discovered inside his home at 55 Apple Hill Road, which sits in Wrightstown Township near the borders with Buckingham Township and Warwick Township.
The coroner said MacFarland died from multiple stab and slash wounds.
The search warrant reviewed by NewtownPANow.com indicated that police in Tennessee had pulled over the suspect after she was driving MacFarland’s 2013 Mercedes through the town of White Pine in the days after the murder. The town sits about 40 minutes from Knoxville.
The woman has been jailed in Tennessee as the Bucks County investigation has moved along, sources said.
Police said the woman, who is not being identified by this news organization as charges have yet to be filed in Bucks County, gave a Tennessee officer a false name during the October 2023 stop. The name was that of MacFarland’s deceased wife.
The woman was involved in two reported domestic incidents with MacFarland on October 4, 2023 at his home, police said.
In one alleged incident, MacFarland had a small laceration on his forehead. He told a Newtown Township officer who responded that the cut came from the woman. MacFarland reported to the officer that the two had a fight about another woman he was friends with and who was present. The second woman was transported by police to another address.
Police responded hours later and the woman, who is now the suspect, told an officer that MacFarland had threatened to kill her, but he denied making any threats. The two declined to be separated and police left.
MacFarland’s home was up for sale and an interested buyer arrived on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 4 p.m. The interested buyer peered into the residence, saw MacFarland lying on his back, and called 9-1-1, police said.
Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
Police and firefighters arrived to find MacFarland deceased with slash wounds that appeared to be defensive, investigators wrote in the search warrant.
Apple Hill Road neighbors reportedly told police MacFarland had been fighting with an unidentified woman in the days before his body was found, police said.
Two of MacFarland’s cars, including the Mercedes, were missing from the home when his body was located, police said.
An inventory list of evidence taken by detectives from the home included drawstring bags with personal items, a shopping bag with medications and a cell phone, a diamond ring, a prescription label and bottles with the suspect’s name on them, a box cutter, items with suspected blood on them, knives, handguns, and other items.
Authorities will hold their press conference at 1 p.m. Wednesday. NewtownPANow.com will stream the press conference on Facebook.
