Centre County murder case to be featured in popular true-crime series. What to know
A new episode of a true-crime television series that will recount the killing of a Penn State professor is set to premiere Sunday evening, likely bringing renewed interest to a case that captured Centre County’s attention.
The latest episode of “Snapped” is to debut 6 p.m. Sunday. The hourlong, documentary-style episode will revisit the August 2016 death of Penn State professor Ronald Bettig and the ensuing prosecution of George G. Ishler Jr. and Danelle Geier, who were both convicted of murder after Bettig was found dead at the bottom of a local quarry.
Viewers can find the episode on the Oxygen channel, which is available through cable, streaming or online. Here’s what you should know about the case.
Who was Ronald Bettig?
Bettig, 56, of Lemont, was an associate professor at Penn State. A faculty member in the university’s College of Communications since 1988, he taught undergraduate and graduate courses on the political economy of communications.
He earned the Excellence in Teaching Award from the college’s alumni society in 1996 and escorted the college’s undergraduate student marshals during commencement a half-dozen times.
At the graduate level, he led or served on nearly five dozen scholar, master’s and doctoral thesis committees. In an August 2016 article published by the university, College of Communications Dean Marie Hardin said Bettig was “part of the fabric of this College for many years.”
“All except our very newest faculty and staff members very likely knew Ron, who was one of our longest-tenured faculty members,” Hardin said. “Ron was the kind of teacher who connected powerfully with students, who found his classes in political economy — at both the undergraduate and graduate levels — transformative.”
Bettig was also the author of two books and a longtime member of the Union for Democratic Communications, an organization dedicated to creating connections between academics, journalists and others.
The university described him as intensely private and a man who fought for the underdog. Away from the university, Bettig played his harmonica, guitar or piano.
He was an alumnus of the University of Illinois and the University of California at San Diego.
“Ronald Bettig was a man ahead of his time; people just didn’t realize it,” Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna said in April 2018. “His body of work was based on analyzing the media and the source of media, believing that you needed to have a critical eye for where you get your source of information. This was written 10 and 15 years ago.”
The county’s top prosecutor later added: “He was a brilliant man. He listened to a different drum beat and he offered great wisdom to an area of study that people will still refer to.”
What were Ishler and Geier’s relationships to Bettig?
Bettig and Ishler, according to state police at Rockview and Centre County prosecutors, built a relationship that centered on marijuana. Bettig was then introduced to Geier, whom he allowed to live in his basement.
The three were friends, police wrote.
What were the circumstances of his death?
Bettig was initially reported as a missing person, but police began investigating his death as a homicide when he was found at the bottom of a quarry in rural Potter Township.
His convicted killers were accused of luring him there before Ishler pushed him off a ledge, causing him to fall about 75 feet to the pit of the quarry. Bettig died of blunt force trauma from the fall.
They later returned to the quarry to make it appear Bettig had been there alone.
What happened at trial?
As the joint trial unfolded in April 2018, prosecutors put forward a theory that Ishler and Geier believed they would benefit financially from Bettig’s crude will.
Ishler’s defense lawyer argued the professor died by suicide, while Geier’s public defender claimed she had no motive, only became aware of what happened afterward and was threatened by Ishler.
After hours of questioning by police, Ishler admitted to pushing Bettig off the ledge. Both were found guilty at the end of a six-day trial of first-degree murder and other lesser charges.
They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Who will be in the episode?
Former Centre County First Assistant Public Defender Deb Lux, who represented Geier; former State College police Detective Chris Weaver; Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers and former state police at Rockview trooper Brian Wakefield are among those in the episode.
Where are they now?
Ishler, 47, is incarcerated at Coal Township state prison in Northumberland County. He’s been at the prison since Nov. 5, 2019, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections told the Centre Daily Times.
Geier, 40, is incarcerated at Muncy state prison in Lycoming County. She’s been at the prison since June 7, 2018, the DOC said. It was less clear if she has active appeals; the state Supreme Court refused last month to take up her case.
Both saw their direct appeals denied by statewide appellate courts. Court documents showed Ishler was pursuing another appeal as recently as August.
It was not immediately known if Geier plans to pursue any appeals in federal court. The state Supreme Court refused to take up her case last month.