Police: Man kills woman after she rejects marriage proposal

KEMPTON, Pa. – Authorities say a Pennsylvania man strangled a woman and then broke her neck, poked her eyes out and beat her with a hatchet after she rejected his marriage proposal.

Thirty-four-year-old Christopher R. Tucker is charged with criminal homicide, first- and third-degree murder and aggravated assault in the death of 19-year-old Tara Serino last week. Police say he wrapped her body in a rug inside his Berks County home before fleeing to Illinois, where he was taken into custody at a truck stop.

The (Allentown) Morning Call reports that Tucker gave authorities an account of the slaying and authorities later found Serino’s body inside his home with injuries that matched his statements.

Court records don’t list an attorney for Tucker, who is awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania.