Centre County judge rescinds ruling that would have freed woman charged in fatal Penns Valley stabbing
Editor’s note: The story has been updated after a Centre County judge rescinded a ruling the Centre Daily Times reported on early Friday afternoon.
A Centre County judge rescinded her ruling Friday that was set to free the woman charged in the April 2021 killing of a Spring Mills man.
Centre County Judge Katherine Oliver set Brittany Guisewhite’s bail at $250,000 unsecured, meaning the 28-year-old would’ve been responsible for that amount if she violated any bail condition.
Guisewhite was set to live in Centre Hall with her aunt, whose husband is a state police corporal. She did not make clear during the hearing if he was OK with the plan.
Oliver rescinded her order less than two hours later, saying there was a “complication with the living arrangement,” Centre County Deputy District Attorney Sean McGraw said.
Centre County Assistant Public Defender Shannon Malone did not immediately respond to a request for comment after Oliver rescinded the ruling. A new hearing has not been scheduled.
Guisewhite remained free from the time of the killing until she was charged in October by state police at Rockview. She’s since been detained at the Centre County Correctional Facility.
She was addicted to methamphetamine and was under the influence of the drug during the killing, police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
McGraw pushed against Guisewhite’s release, telling Oliver county prosecutors have “very serious” concerns about a potential relapse.
Guisewhite is accused of fatally stabbing Robert Farwell, 26, after an argument inside her Penns Valley home. The two had a “tumultuous relationship,” police wrote.
Malone has argued the killing was self-defense. Farwell arrived unannounced and Guisewhite told investigators he threatened to kill her. Guisewhite was “abused for years” by Farwell, Malone told the judge.
Guisewhite is charged with third-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault. She’s also charged with one misdemeanor count each of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
A trial date has not been set. Trial preparations could take upward of another year, Malone said.
This story was originally published April 1, 2022 at 4:23 PM.