A Wilkinsburg man has been charged with criminal homicide in connection with an investigation in Westmoreland County, Allegheny County police said Tuesday.

Washington Township police on Monday received a report about a possible homicide and a location about a potential suspect and vehicle involved. Two witnesses led police to Higgins’ vehicle.

Officers located the vehicle around 2 p.m. outside of a home in the 2500 block of Turkey Ridge Road, finding a deceased adult female in it, covered with blankets and a duffel bag, police said. The woman was later identified as 66-year-old Jacqueline Pryber. 

Detectives with the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office then requested the assistance of the Allegheny County Police Department’s Homicide Unit after it was determined that the homicide had occurred in Allegheny County.

An investigation found that 62-year-old Shawn Higgins allegedly struck Pryber multiple times during an argument, leading to her death, while they were inside his vehicle in the 9000 block of Saltsburg Road in Plum Borough.

County police say Pryber had been Higgins’ girlfriend for four years.

Higgins told investigators he punched her in the face several times, and Pryber didn’t fight back due to her own medical condition. According to the criminal complaint, Higgins said the argument stemmed from the victim being the reason they were both homeless.

“To think that poor woman had no one to help her. Who knows how long he had been doing that to her?” said Diane Kadunce. “It’s just very unfortunate to know someone had died from something like that.”

Higgins then allegedly drove around for several days with her body in the front seat, wrapped up in blankets.

During that time, he reportedly told investigators he made a few stops to discard some things, including a towel he used to clean up and her portable oxygen machine.

The residents in this area are now learning the gruesome details.

“I just know that, being in an abusive relationship, it’s a scary thing to do your whole life, and I’m sad this happened to her, but I’m glad he’s in custody,” Kadunce added. “I’m glad our neighborhood is now safe, and the police are involved.”

Higgins was taken into custody and is currently in the Allegheny County Jail.

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