EMPORIUM (EC) — An Emporium man is jailed without bail, charged with the alleged murder of a woman during what he called a “game of tit for tat” at her residence Wednesday night.
Deborah Lynn Gerlach, 45, also of Emporium, was found dead in her South Wood Street home after Michael Fuller Courtney, 34, allegedly cut her throat accidentally — then walked to Sheetz and called 9-1-1, according to court records filed with Magisterial District Judge Barry Brown’s office.
An affidavit of probable cause in the case indicates that Emporium Borough Police were dispatched to the Sheetz convenience store in Emporium shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday following a 911 call placed by Courtney from the store’s phone. Courtney allegedly reported to 911 that he had been involved in an incident and might be armed with a knife. Officer Patrick Straub requested backup from Emporium-based state police.
Straub and state troopers Weaver and Fragale reported to Sheetz and encountered Courtney, who walked across the parking lot toward them with his hands raised. The documents indicate that Courtney had blood on his hands and clothing.
Courtney immediately told the officers that they needed to help a woman, and told them, “I’m not going to lie; I cut her.” Though Courtney did not know the address of the residence where the incident occurred, he led officers on foot to a home at 92 S. Wood St.
It was there that Gerlach was found deceased, police reported.
The affidavit said Courtney was interviewed and described a game called “tit for tat” that he was playing with the victim at the time of the incident. Allegedly, the game began with Courtney holding a utility knife to his throat area. The victim then replicated the activity. Courtney stated that the next time, he placed the knife harder on his throat. When it was Gerlach’s turn he told her he would do it for her.
“The defendant related that because he was drunk, he accidentally turned the knife backwards according to the game, meaning that the sharp edge of the knife was towards the victim’s neck,” the affidavit shows. “He then placed the knife on the side of the victim’s neck and pulled toward him.”
Courtney stated that he attempted to perform CPR on Gerlach and also tried to pinch the wound shut to stop the bleeding, according to police.
Through the investigation, police also allege that Courtney admitted to purchasing and drinking a bottle of liquor earlier in the day and ingesting a blue pill offered to him by Gerlach.
State police Troop F Forensic Services Unit responded to the scene at 2:45 a.m. Thursday. The affidavit indicates that two separate lacerations were discovered in the area of the victim’s neck: “One laceration to the left front of the neck measured approximately 3 centimeters. A second laceration measured across the victim’s back, side and across the front of the victim’s neck, and was approximately 19 centimeters in length.”
Courtney has been charged with murder of the first degree and murder of the second degree; as well as murder of the third degree and aggravated assault, first-degree felonies; and aggravated assault, a second-degree felony.
He was arraigned at 4:30 a.m. Thursday by Brown at the Cameron County Courthouse.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Nov. 10 at Brown’s office.
