On a Thursday morning in March, 57-year-old Marlene Krens returned to her Jackson Township home for lunch from her job at PennCrest Bank in Nanty Glo, Pennsylvania. It was March 5, 2020, and in a matter of moments, her life would be tragically cut short. As she arrived, her estranged husband, 58-year-old Donald Krens, pulled into the driveway and confronted her. The confrontation ended with Donald fatally shooting Marlene before turning the gun on himself.
Shortly after 11 a.m., a Cambria County 911 dispatcher received a chilling call from a man who stated he had just killed his wife and was going to kill himself. When police arrived at Marlene's home, they found both her and Donald deceased in the driveway. The Cambria County Coroner, Jeffrey Lees, later ruled Marlene's death a homicide and Donald's death a suicide.
An investigation by the Jackson Township police confirmed the sequence of events. Chief Phil Vaught stated that surveillance video from cameras at the residence captured the murder-suicide, showing Donald Krens shooting his wife and then himself. The couple had previously co-owned Direct Value Outlet Inc., a company that operated discount stores in the area before it closed in 2018.
Marlene was a mother and a grandmother who was remembered for her uplifting, giving, and sacrificing nature. She was also a business owner who enjoyed her work, a local bowling league, card reading groups, and traveling. Her death left a void in the lives of her family, including her two children, seven grandchildren, and her companion at the time.
