Late Wednesday morning in the quiet borough of Clarion Borough, Pennsylvania, a somber discovery was made inside an apartment at 308 Main Street. Officials have confirmed the woman found deceased as 45-year-old Rachel Roman of nearby DuBois.
Dan Shingledecker, the Clarion County coroner, made the identification on Friday and said Roman’s next of kin have been notified by his office and the Pennsylvania State Police in DuBois. At the time of this writing, the official cause of death remains undisclosed.
The autopsy was scheduled for 10:00 a.m. today in Erie, with a deputy coroner in attendance. Shingledecker said he does not anticipate releasing additional details immediately as the investigation progresses. “It will probably be a few days,” he told reporters.
No charges have been filed in direct connection with Roman’s passing. Yet, the circumstances surrounding the location draw attention: the apartment is occupied by 34-year-old Chase Wayne Steigerwald, who was arrested Tuesday evening at the same address for allegedly delivering methamphetamine to another woman. He remains in the Clarion County Jail on $100,000 bail.
Clarion Borough Police Department Chief Bill Peck said the case is still active and investigators are working closely with the Pennsylvania State Police Troop C. He stressed that more information will follow as evidence is processed. “We will follow the evidence and take the appropriate steps,” he said, acknowledging that many leads must be pursued before a clearer picture emerges.
Behind the headlines, the story raises deeper questions. Roman’s presence at the apartment ties into a known drug-related arrest the night prior—yet what role, if any, the delivery arrest plays in her death remains unspecified. Investigators are treating the case with caution, gathering evidence at the scene and coordinating with state authorities to ensure all aspects are covered.
For the families involved and the community of Clarion, the shock is palpable. A woman’s life cut short under uncertain circumstances, a drug arrest in the same dwelling hours earlier—these threads hint at a larger tragedy. While officials await toxicology, autopsy and investigative findings, the focus remains on honoring the victim’s identity, protecting the integrity of the case, and ultimately, finding answers.
This remains a developing story; updates are expected in the coming days as authorities release further details.