ST. MARYS — A St. Marys man is charged with murder after police say he gunned down his girlfriend on Tuesday outside the St. Marys powdered metal plant where they both worked. 

It was 2:46 a.m. Tuesday, the height of the third shift at Eastern Sintered Alloys in St. Marys, when police were dispatched for reports of an “active shooter” at the plant’s 126 Access Road address. Officers report finding the alleged shooter, Michael J. Stephanic Jr., 44, of 503 Brusselles St. in St. Marys, being held to the ground by plant employees, a big game rifle close-by. The victim, June Talmadge, also known as June Andrus, 48, of Emporium, was found lying on the ground near the building’s entrance with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. 

According to an affidavit of probable cause for the case, Talmadge was taken to Elk Regional Health Center in St. Marys, where she later died as a result of her injuries. Elk County Coroner Michelle Muccio said a definitive cause of death would be determined through Talmadge’s autopsy scheduled for Wednesday. 

Stephanic was taken into custody at which point he allegedly admitted to shooting Talmadge. 

Inside Stephanic’s pants pockets, police say they found four live 7mm rifle rounds. Two spent casings were also recovered from the scene, as well as the Remington Model 700, 7mm Mag rifle containing two live rounds.

Stephanic was arrested and arraigned on charges of criminal homicide, two counts of felony aggravated assault and a felony count of discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, authorities said. He is currently being held without bail in Elk County Prison in Ridgway. Criminal homicide is a non-bailable offense in the state of Pennsylvania. 

In speaking with police, eyewitnesses of Tuesday’s shooting recalled hearing multiple gunshots. Some said they saw Stephanic with the weapon before employees reportedly wrestled it from his hands; others restrained him until police arrived. 

No other injuries were reported in connection with Tuesday’s shooting. 

Denny Lindberg, a human resources executive at Eastern Sintered Alloys, attributes this to the actions of those employees.

“The people on shift and the shift supervisor acted according to procedures and took significant risk in order to protect others, not necessarily themselves,” Lindberg said. “We’re very proud of our people and very sad the incident happened, but we’re proud of the people who did what they had to do.”

As for a possible motive, police have only said the incident was “domestic” in nature. St. Marys City Police sergeant Thomas J. Nicklas could only confirm that Stephanic and Talmadge were romantically involved and that the investigation is ongoing.  

Lindberg said his position afforded him no added insight. 

“I can’t speak to what was in his mind,” Lindberg said, referring to Stephanic. 

As of Tuesday night, counselors and mental health professionals would be made available to those third shift workers and witnesses. 

Security at the plant had not been altered or upped in the wake of Tuesday’s shooting, Lindberg said, reiterating that both Stephanic and Talmadge were employees with access to the facility. Lindberg said Stephanic had been outside the building when the incident occurred and that Talmadge had stepped outside to speak with him. 

Coworkers described Talmadge as “friendly” and “hard working” and Stephanic as “outgoing.”

Lindberg said Talmadge was a second shift employee covering for a co-worker Tuesday night. 

Employees of the plant said Talmadge worked overtime frequently in an attempt to save up money to visit her daughter and grandchildren in Florida. 

Talmadge had been employed as a material handler at the plant for the last three years. The job entails moving massive barrels filled with the component metal parts manufactured at the facility between its presses and ovens, ovens and shipping docks.

Employees who were inside the plant when the shooting took place Tuesday recalled hearing two distinct shots but said they didn’t immediately recognize the sound.  

“I thought it was a pallet dropping,” said a coworker who declined to be identified. “I never would have never dreamt this.” 

The employee said soon after hearing the shots, a superior ran into their section calling out “Angel in the building,” the factory code for a gunman on the premises. 

The woman, along with every employee in her section, escaped through a back door, sliding, falling and scrambling to the bottom of a steep and slippery hillside where they eagerly watched for police.  

She said the trauma of what they had experienced just the night before was only slowly sinking in. 

“This morning, I was on my porch talking with my father when water came off the canopy and I jumped,” she said before adding, “I just feel so sad for June.” 

The woman said she would be returning to work the third shift Tuesday night.