13-Year-Old Returns Home to Find Mother Fatally Stabbed; Partner Charged in Harrisburg

Harrisburg Woman Found Fatally Stabbed; Investigation Ongoing

Harrisburg police say 31-year-old Violette Pierre, a mother of three, was found fatally stabbed inside her family home on Nov. 25 after her 13-year-old son returned from school and discovered a bloody scene in the bathroom.

Officers who responded to the call discovered Pierre deceased and a man, later identified as her romantic partner Rocheny Clerge, lying on top of her with a severe wound to his neck. According to a news release from the Harrisburg Bureau of Police and local reporting by WGAL, CBS21 and Fox43, officers performed life-saving measures on Clerge at the scene before he was transported to a local hospital for advanced care.

Allegations and Evidence

Investigators allege Clerge stabbed Pierre and then inflicted a serious neck wound on himself. A knife believed to be the murder weapon was recovered next to the couple in the bathroom. While Clerge remains hospitalized, prosecutors have charged him with Murder and Possession of an Instrument of a Crime. Dauphin County records indicate he is being held without bond and is scheduled for a preliminary court appearance on Dec. 23.

What the Child Reported

According to court documents cited by local outlets, the 13-year-old told police he discovered his mother and the man he described as his stepfather bleeding on the bathroom floor, then ran out of the house and alerted neighbors. The boy reportedly told investigators that his mother and Clerge "fought all the time," and that they had been arguing the night before and the morning of Nov. 25. He also said his mother had threatened to leave Clerge during a heated argument the night before the killing.

Timeline From Security Footage

Local news reports say home security footage shows the 13-year-old leaving for school around 8:30 a.m. the morning of the attack. The boy's uncle reportedly took the two younger children to their school soon after and later told police he observed the couple arguing as he left the home. Additional footage reportedly shows the teenager returning from school and immediately running out of the house in a state of panic after discovering the bodies.

"Clerge was rushed to a local hospital for advanced medical care, and an investigation was initiated," the Harrisburg Bureau of Police said in a news release.

Police say the investigation into this fatal stabbing is ongoing. Local outlets cited include WGAL, CBS21 and Fox43; the initial story was reported by PEOPLE. Authorities are working to confirm the complete timeline and circumstances surrounding the deaths.