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Police identify shooter, victim in Adams County murder-suicide

UPDATE, 12:55 p.m.: Eastern Adams Regional Police identified the suspect and victim in a suspected murder-suicide shooting that occurred Tuesday morning at the ...

UPDATE, 12:55 p.m.: Eastern Adams Regional Police identified the suspect and victim in a suspected murder-suicide shooting that occurred Tuesday morning at the Plainville Farms Distribution Center on Turkey Lane in Oxford Township.

The victim is John Frey, 58, of York. He was a supervisor at Plainville Farms who was shot as he parked his vehicle for work around 5:20 a.m.

As Frey was exiting his vehicle, the shooter, Phillip Michael Hughes, 75, of Marshville, NC, pulled up beside him in a Dodge Caravan, jumped out of the vehicle, and confronted him. Hughes then fired two shots at Frey from point-blank range, striking him in the head.

Hughes then took his own life by placing a Smith & Wesson 5-shot Chief’s Special handgun under his chin and firing, police say.

A Plainville Farms representative identified both subjects as Frey being the transportation supervisor and Hughes being an independent trucking contractor working for Plainville Farms who had been fired the day before.

At 5:50 hours, the Adams County Coroner pronounced both subjects deceased. The incident is being classified as a murder- suicide, police say.

Plainville Farms issued a statement about the incident:

The Plainville Farms family experienced a terrible, senseless tragedy at our Distribution Center in New Oxford early this morning. Plainville Farms is working closely with law enforcement in their investigation of this fatal incident that involved a manager at Plainville and an independent contractor.

Plainville Farms is a family and we are in mourning. Counseling will be provided to all of our employees to help with the healing process. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families that have been affected by this tragedy.

Original Story

ADAMS COUNTY, Pa.– Police are investigating a murder-suicide in Adams County.

Authorities say the incident occurred around 5:40 a.m. at Plainville Farms on York Road in Oxford Township.

Eastern Adams Police Chief Francis Staab said that a disgruntled employee who had been fired on Tuesday was “waiting and stalking” for the transportation manager to come into work.

When that manager came into work at 5:40 a.m., the suspect allegedly pulled into the parking lot and when the manager got out of his vehicle, the suspect shot him to death before taking his own life.

Upon arrival, police found both the suspect and victim lying on the gorund.

Police say that the victim was pronounced dead at 5:50 a.m.

A witness told police seemed to be acting suspicious

Identities of both the victim and suspect are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

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