A Perkiomen Township man has been charged with the brutal killing of his girlfriend inside their Gravel Pike apartment, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele announced.
William Roy Carey Jr., 46, was arraigned Saturday night before Magisterial District Judge Henry J. Schireson on charges of first- and third-degree murder, as well as possessing an instrument of crime. The charges stem from the death of 34-year-old Jessica Zipkin, formerly of Elkins Park.
According to the criminal complaint, Pennsylvania State Police were called to Carey’s apartment at 534 Gravel Pike around 1:25 a.m. on November 2 for a report of a possible death. When troopers arrived, they found Zipkin lying face down on the bedroom floor with a severe head injury.
Next to her body was a red hammer covered in blood, investigators said. An autopsy conducted by Dr. Ian Hood of the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office determined Zipkin died of blunt force trauma to the head. Steele confirmed the manner of death was ruled a homicide, PerkValleyNow reported.
Carey was taken into custody shortly after the discovery and formally charged later that day. Court records indicate a preliminary hearing is set for November 13 at 10 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Adam T. Katzman.
Because Pennsylvania law does not allow bail for murder charges, Carey was remanded to Montgomery County jail, where he will remain until trial proceedings move forward. The case is being investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and Montgomery County detectives, who continue to collect evidence and interview witnesses.
Zipkin’s death has left her family and community grieving. An online memorial notes that she is survived by her parents, Jeanette Weiss and Harrison Zipkin, her sister, Samantha Mertz, and her brother, Joshua Zipkin. Friends and loved ones have described her as a vibrant young woman whose life was tragically cut short, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Steele said his office is committed to seeking justice in the case. “This was a vicious and violent attack,” he said, adding that the prosecution will pursue the charges to the fullest extent of the law. The tragedy has drawn attention across Montgomery County, underscoring the devastating toll of domestic violence and leaving a family to mourn the loss of a daughter, sister, and friend.