Missing Whitehall Woman Found Dead, Stepfather Charged With Murder

The body of Jessica Padgett, 33, has been found and her stepfather will be charged with her murder.

Padgett was last seen on Friday, Nov. 21, leaving her job at Duck Duck Goose Child Care, 1218 Canal St. in Northampton. At a news conference on Wednesday, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli announced that Padgett had been found dead, according to The Morning Call.

Padgett’s stepfather, Gregory R. Graf, accused of shooting her and hiding her body, will be facing charges of homicide, according to The Morning Call. Morganelli said the crime is believed to have a “sexual aspect” to it that authorities haven’t completely hashed out.

Padgett was last seen leaving work at 12:50 p.m. and was supposed to return. She also worked at a business owned by her stepfather, Distinctive Fence, which is located at his and her mother’s property at 451 Covered Bridge Road. The Morning Call reports that, according to her sister, Kristi Davis, Padgett was headed there to send a fax at the time of her disappearance.

For more information, read the full article at The Morning Call.