In the summer of 2024, a quiet neighborhood in New Castle, Pennsylvania, was shattered by an act of violence that claimed the lives of two residents. Rebecca Elaine Frank, a 66-year-old female, and her long-time partner, Albert C. Rotz, 72, were fatally shot on July 13 in their home on Arlington Avenue. The tragedy unfolded on a Saturday afternoon, while neighbors enjoyed a poolside gathering nearby.
The grim discovery was made after family members at the adjacent party heard an
argument, followed by the slam of a door and the sound of a vehicle speeding away. Shortly after, a wounded Rebecca Frank emerged from the house, stating that she had been shot by Corbin Partin. Inside the home, Albert Rotz was found deceased on the living room floor. Frank was immediately transported to a local hospital but succumbed to her injuries.
The investigation swiftly focused on 34-year-old Corbin Blake Partin, who was identified by witnesses as the shooter. Authorities located and apprehended Partin at his parents' residence on Beckford Street on the same day as the killings. During the investigation, police discovered a percussion cap at the crime scene, which is consistent with the firing of a black powder weapon. A subsequent search of Partin's home revealed boxes for two cap and ball style firearms, with one of the weapons missing. Despite denying his involvement and claiming his family often blamed him for things, the evidence and witness statements led to his arrest.
Corbin Blake Partin was charged with two counts of criminal homicide in the deaths of Rebecca Frank and Albert Rotz. He was held at the Lawrence County Jail without bond. In August of 2025, Partin, then 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree murder. As a result of his guilty plea, he was sentenced to serve 35 to 70 years in prison for the shooting deaths of his uncle, Albert Rotz, and his uncle's girlfriend, Rebecca Frank.
