COLD CASE: Montrose Residents React to Cop's Arrest for Wife's Murder

10/25/2012 (Updated 9:35:15 PM)

MONTROSE, PA -- A day after one of their police officers was charged with the murder of his wife nearly 30 years ago, people around Montrose are surprised.

"Every day in the news, especially out of the Pittston area or Scranton you see a lot of crime down there," said Edward Herman.  "Here you get some traffic offenses, a couple DUI's, that type of thing, but we don't have a lot of murder and stuff like that here."

Wednesday morning, 52-year-old John Walker, a police officer in Montrose, was arrested outside the Pump and Pantry according to employees at the store.

Walker was just planning on getting his normal morning coffee before his day became anything but typical.  An arrest that shocked people who called on him for help.

"I always thought he was personable, and when I needed his help he was there for me," said Sharon Oliver. "He was the first person I'd call if I needed an officer."

However, Grand Jury testimony presents a different side of Walker, and also explains how he was not charged with murder of his wife, Lynda.  According to the Grand Jury report, no autopsy was performed back in 1983, instead the County Coroner declared the death a suicide.

In June 2011, Lynda's body was exhumed and an autopsy was performed.  That autopsy declared the death a homicide. Those findings led to the arrest of Walker yesterday.  An arrest that has townspeople unsure of what to believe.

"He was up there, he was always decent with me," said Herman. "But like I said earlier, sometimes you don't really know a person."

Walker is due in court Nov. 5 for a preliminary hearing.