A Pennsylvania man said he woke to a fire and tried to save his doctor wife, then tests showed she’d been dead before the flames started

Jonathan Gatto is facing charges for the murder of his wife, Julia Pederson, after investigators determined she died before a fire broke out in their Harrisburg home. The 42-year-old man was charged with first-degree murder, arson, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and endangering the welfare of children.

As reported by the NY Post, the investigation began after a fire occurred at the couple’s residence. Gatto initially provided an account to the police regarding the events of that morning. He claimed he was suddenly awakened by a smoke detector and then saw a small fire had broken out in a downstairs bedroom. 

According to the affidavit seen by Local21News, he stated that he rushed to get his young daughter outside and then called 911. Gatto alleged that he attempted to re-enter the home to save his wife but sustained a burn on his hand during the effort.

He admitted the marriage wasn’t going well

The official findings from the coroner tell a much different story. The coroner ruled Pederson’s cause of death as homicide by multiple traumatic injuries. Blood tests reportedly showed that the 41-year-old pediatrician, who worked at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, had already been dead before the blaze started. This contradicts Gatto’s claim that he was attempting to rescue her from the fire.

During an interview with police, Gatto reportedly admitted that his marriage was on the rocks. He told officers that the couple planned to separate and were in the process of deciding how to explain the situation to their 7-year-old daughter. The child was asleep in the home when the incident occurred.

The loss of Dr. Pederson has had a significant impact on her professional community. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center released a statement regarding the situation. “We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Dr. Julia Pederson, a beloved pediatrician and valued member of our UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics team,” the statement read. 

The organization also noted that “Dr. Pederson devoted her career to caring for children and supporting families, and her loss is felt deeply by colleagues, patients, and communities she served.” That said, Gatto remains in custody as the legal proceedings continue.