N.Y. school employee allegedly fatally strangled her sister and dumped body in river

MONROE COUNTY, N.Y. (TCN) — A 53-year-old woman is in custody on suspicion of fatally strangling her 62-year-old sister, who disappeared earlier this month.

In a press conference, Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter said deputies first performed a welfare check on Penny Busch on Oct. 11 after a family member hadn’t heard from her for a while. According to Baxter, no one answered the door, and investigators searched her property. The sheriff noted that they found “suspicious” conditions, and he said authorities discovered “things out of the ordinary” but didn’t elaborate further.

On Oct. 14, deputies searched the Genesee River in the town of Rush, where they located a deceased woman. Several days later, the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office positively identified the victim as Penny Busch.

Per a redacted complaint posted by WHEC-TV, investigators allege that on Oct. 8, Penny Busch’s sister, Jamie Busch, fatally strangled the victim during a physical altercation. The following morning, Jamie Busch allegedly removed her sister’s three cellphones from her home and threw them away at a Dunkin’ Donuts. The complaint alleges that the suspect then dumped Penny Busch’s body in the Genesee River.

Authorities arrested Jamie Busch on one count of second-degree murder and two counts of tampering with physical evidence.

The sheriff’s office said Penny Busch leaves behind two children.

Jamie Busch reportedly worked for Honeoye Falls-Lima School District but has been placed on leave. In a statement, the school’s superintendent said, “The recent arrest of a district employee on serious charges has deeply impacted all of us. We are shocked and saddened by the reports. As a school district that prioritizes the safety of our students, staff, and community, we placed the individual on leave and fully cooperated with law enforcement during their investigation.”

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