On a tragic day in June of 2019, the small community of Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, was shaken by a horrific event that claimed the lives of three innocent people and the perpetrator in a shocking murder-suicide. The victims included 54-year-old Edwin L. Bidlack Jr., a local business owner known for his generosity and willingness to help others. The tranquility of this rural area was shattered when state police discovered the bodies at a residence on Gooseneck Road, the beginning of a grim and
heartbreaking story.
The events of June 14, 2019, unfolded in a horrifying sequence. Jesse Lee Northrup, the 31-year-old son of Edwin's wife, Candy Diane Bidlack, embarked on a deadly rampage. Authorities believe Northrup first shot and killed his 60-year-old mother, Candy. He then turned the gun on his stepfather, Edwin, and a 48-year-old employee, Johnnie Boyce Johnson. After taking the lives of three individuals, Northrup took his own life. The bodies were found in separate locations within the home, a chilling testament to the violence that had occurred.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, details began to emerge that painted a troubling picture of Northrup's state of mind. Just days before the killings, he had been fired from his job. It was also reported that he had recently stopped taking prescribed medications. A day before the incident, Northrup had posted a picture of a handgun on his Facebook page, a move that in retrospect served as a chilling premonition of the violence to come. The investigation by the Bradford County coroner revealed that Northrup used a handgun to carry out the killings.
The loss of Edwin L. Bidlack Jr., his wife, and his employee sent ripples of grief through the close-knit community of Wyalusing. Friends and neighbors remembered Edwin as a kind and helpful man, the owner of Ed's Heating, who was always ready to lend a hand. His death, alongside Candy and Johnnie, left a void in the community, a stark reminder of the devastating impact of this senseless act of violence. The investigation concluded that there would be no arrests as the sole suspect had died by suicide.
