In late November 2023, the quiet of Schoharie County was broken by the disappearance of a local man. Jeffrey E. Mickle, a 41-year-old male, was last seen by his loved ones on November 25th. Four days later, a missing person report was filed, launching an investigation by the Schoharie County Sheriff's Office that would soon uncover a grim reality. The search for Mickle ended in a junkyard in the Town of Broome, where his body was found concealed under a truck cap, having suffered multiple
gunshot wounds.
The investigation into the death of Jeffrey E. Mickle quickly led to a series of arrests. On December 1, 2023, authorities apprehended 24-year-old Michael Todtschinder in Dalton, Pennsylvania. He was charged with second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. Another man, 39-year-old Walter J. Fahrenkopf, was also taken into custody and charged with concealment of a human corpse for his alleged role in hiding Mickle's body. The case continued to unfold, and in June 2024, a third individual, Jenna Fahrenkopf, formerly known as Jenna Beretz, turned herself in to the authorities. She was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree manslaughter.
The legal process for those accused in connection with Mickle's death saw significant developments. In May 2024, Walter Fahrenkopf pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and concealment of a human corpse. He was expected to receive a 20-year prison sentence. Michael Todtschinder's case went to trial, and in May 2025, a jury acquitted him of the more serious charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter. He was, however, found guilty of tampering with physical evidence and concealment of a human corpse. In a separate proceeding in September 2025, Jenna Fahrenkopf was found guilty by a jury on various charges related to the death of Jeffrey Mickle and was scheduled for sentencing in November of that year.
