On October 18, 2019, Jeffrey Werner, 53, was found fatally shot inside his Whitehall, Pennsylvania, home on Pennsylvania Street. Police arrived after a report of a shooting at about 4:14 a.m. and pronounced Werner dead at the scene. Investigators described Werner’s home office as ransacked and reported that a safe was missing.

The Lehigh County Homicide Task Force and Whitehall Township Police identified two people of interest, Dakota Schmoyer, then 27, and Michael Layton, then 26, who were found to have conspired to rob Werner. Authorities say Schmoyer, already incarcerated on unrelated charges, had suggested Werner as a target and later testified to a prior relationship with him. Layton allegedly went to Werner’s home wearing a mask and gloves; when Werner opened the door, Layton shot him, and the two then stole the office safe and fled.

Both were arrested and charged with criminal homicide, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Layton was charged as the shooter with first-degree murder; Schmoyer faced second-degree murder charges as an accomplice. Anyone with information about Werner or the case is asked to come forward.