A Harrisburg man is behind bars, held without bond, accused of strangling his wife to death and then setting their home on fire to cover it up.
Jonathan Gatto, 41, was arrested four days after the Saturday, Oct. 10 fire and charged with murder, arson and other offenses in the death of his wife, Julia Pederson, 41, a pediatrician. The couple’s 7-year-old daughter was asleep in an upstairs bedroom at the time, according to reports.
The Harrisburg Bureau of Police made clear the fire was not what killed her.
“The investigation ultimately revealed that the death of the victim, a 41-year-old female, was not caused by a fire.”
Gatto is being held in the Dauphin County jail. He is due back in court on Oct. 28.
A career spent treating children
Pederson was a board-certified pediatrician through the American Board of Pediatrics. She earned her undergraduate degree at Harvard University and her medical degree at Stanford University School of Medicine, and had practiced in Pennsylvania, California and Chicago before taking a position in February with UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics.
A spokesperson for UPMC CCP said the organization was “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 continued: “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. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and loved ones, and ask that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.”
Her obituary described her work this way: “Through her medical career, Julia devoted herself to the health and well-being of children, providing care and support to the families who placed their trust in her.”
