A Westmoreland County man accused of killing his mother was taken into custody Sunday evening after police spent hours searching for him in the West Newton area.
Pennsylvania State Police identified the man as Jakob Michael Korber. Troopers had been searching for him after finding his mother, Christin E. Hamilton, dead at a home along Herminie West Newton Road in Sewickley Township.
Police were called to the property around 9:30 a.m. Sunday after a report of an unresponsive woman. Troopers found Hamilton at the residence, where she was pronounced dead.
The Westmoreland County coroner identified the woman as Hamilton. Her age was not immediately released, and authorities had not determined the cause or manner of her death.
As investigators worked at the scene, police began looking for Korber, who was believed to be in the area and was last known to be on foot. A search involving police officers, K-9 units and a helicopter continued through the day.
The search ended Sunday evening when Korber was seen walking along Herminie West Newton Road near the home.
Neighbors told local television reporters that police had urged residents to remain inside and lock their doors while officers searched the area. The prolonged police presence left some residents concerned about their safety.
Connie Underwood, who lives next to Hamilton’s home, said the incident was especially difficult because she knew Hamilton as a friend and neighbor.
“I couldn’t believe it. I was just talking to her in my driveway,” Underwood said.
Police footage later showed Korber approaching the driveway of the residence. Officers moved toward him, and he knelt down with his hands over his head before following commands to get on the ground. He was taken into custody without incident.
The arrest brought an end to an hours-long search that had kept the neighborhood on alert.
The case has also brought renewed attention to a series of losses within the family. According to previously published obituary information, Korber’s sister, Kylee, was one of four Yough High School students killed in a March 2026 crash.
Other family losses have also been documented in local obituary records. Christin Hamilton’s longtime partner, Christopher Greenwood, died in 2022, while her sister Nicole Hamilton died in a 2006 automobile accident.
Those earlier tragedies have added to the grief surrounding Sunday’s death, neighbors said.
Korber is being held at the Westmoreland County Prison. Authorities have not publicly detailed how Hamilton died, and the investigation remains ongoing.
As of the latest available information, no further details about the alleged killing or a possible motive had been released by police.
