Body of Missing Ohio Woman Found in Rural Pennsylvania Field

November 09, 2009

The body of a missing Ohio woman that had been dumped in a Pennsylvania field was found this past weekend, sparking a nationwide manhunt for the woman's alleged killer.

According to officials with the Pennsylvania State Police, the body was found Saturday afternoon near Platz and Sterrettania roads in Erie County, Pa. Police say a local resident made the discovery when he went to inspect debris that someone had dumped the day before in a field near his house. Upon further inspection, the man discovered the body wrapped up inside a rug.

Jack Daneri, district attorney for Erie County, told the Erie Times News that the victim had a "number of wounds" that appeared to have been caused by a "sharp force instrument." As a result, the cause of death was listed as "suspicious."

State police, with assistance from the Erie County Sheriff's office, worked over the weekend to identify the victim as Carla Westhofen, 58, of Sandusky, Ohio. Carla was last seen by friends on the night of Nov. 5. Family members reported her missing the following day when she failed to show up for a scheduled appointment. A check of Carla's house found that her vehicle was missing, and calls to her cell phone went unanswered.

Authorities are now searching for Carla's former boyfriend, David L. "Jody" Kromer, 56, of Margaretta Township, Ohio.

"After they broke up, it didn't go well," Carla's son, Todd Dahnke, told morningjournal.com. "She felt at risk, so she got the protection order. There had been issues previously while they were dating. I thought he could be aggressive, based on things I had seen."

According to Erie County Sheriff's Capt. Paul Sigsworth, Kromer was recently released from jail after bonding out on charges that he had violated the protection order by sending Carla a letter.

Authorities are not commenting on what, if any, evidence they have connecting Kromer to Carla's death; however, they have issued warrants for his arrest on charges of murder and kidnapping.

The Erie County Coroner's Office is conducting an autopsy on Carla's body today to determine exactly how she died. Meanwhile, authorities in several states, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are actively seeking Kromer, whom they describe as armed and dangerous.

David Kromer is described as 6' 1" tall, weighing 210 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. He is possibly driving a blue 2000 Jeep Cherokee with Ohio license plate DQW 3569 or Carla Westhofen's tan 2002 GMC Envoy with Ohio license plate AXS 6883.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Erie County Sheriff's office at 419-625-7951.

Photo Credits: Crime Scene: David Lohr; Carla Westhofen: Police file photo; David Kromer: Police file photo

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Comments

[Themis]

Thank you David. I hadn't heard about this woman till reading your post. I will pass the information around on the suspect. Thank you for all you do for the missing and murdered.