On the morning of January 20, 1974, fire crews found a charred house on Princeton Drive in New Whiteland and the bodies of William Patrick, 25, his wife Elizabeth Ann, 23, and their infant daughter Jenny. The coroner determined William and Elizabeth died from asphyxia before the fire, while the infant died of carbon monoxide and smoke inhalation. Gasoline odor, a five-gallon can and a nozzle were recovered, and investigators concluded the fire was intentionally set; signs of a struggle were reported but there was no evidence of forced entry. Their four-year-old daughter was away with an uncle that night.

Investigators linked the crime to David James Roberts after William Patrick had earlier identified Roberts in a theft at the Sears Automobile Service Center where Patrick worked. Witnesses placed a gold Buick Riviera and a man matching Roberts’ description buying small amounts of gasoline and filling a five-gallon can the evening of the crime. An arrest warrant led to Roberts’ arrest on January 26, 1974; he was charged, tried, convicted on multiple counts including first-degree murder and arson, and given five life sentences.

Does anyone have memories of the neighborhood or the Patricks that could shed more light on what happened?