The affidavit of probable cause describes what was found at the crime scene on the 2200 block of Mount Hope Road in Penn Township as well as phone messages that were uncovered as part of a search warrant.
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An 11-year-old child who had just come home from school on Monday found the victim, Jami Harrison, 49. The child called 911, telling dispatchers that the victim was deceased and that there were bruises all over her body. The child also told the dispatcher that Harrison's husband "is really mean and hurts" her.
"(An officer) found the victim laying supine in her bed, partially covered with a blanket, wearing a black shirt. The victim was deceased. (The officer) reported that he observed what appeared to be red marks on the victim’s neck and possibly bruising on her forehead," the affidavit states.
Jami Harrison's daughter later told police that her mother and her husband Matthew Harrison argued on Friday, Feb. 2, and that Matthew had left the home and was staying at a nearby hotel. The daughter described their relationship as "tumultuous," telling investigators that Matthew Harrison would push her mother into walls and pour beer over her head. She also said he had strangled her mother on previous occasions.
Police said they later found out that Matthew Harrison had checked out of the Comfort Inn on Lebanon Road in Manheim on Monday, Feb. 5 and was gone by 1:40 p.m.
Detectives talked to Matthew Harrison's mother, who told them that Harrison's son, her grandson, had called her, saying "dad snapped" and that the victim was dead, according to the document.
Police said when they spoke to the son, he denied saying his father had snapped. When detectives asked about the text exchange between him and his father, police said he told them he had erased their texts.
Police obtained a search warrant and said they discovered the following messages that were exchanged on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 7:06 p.m.
"Matthew Harrison messages, 'If I kill her by now I'm cool son.' (The son) replies, 'Come on now ol head lol' and Matthew responds, 'S*** you think kidding.' After being told to 'be cool,' Matthew replies, 'Ever since what happened to you…I've been having murder on my brain' followed by '*advertiser censored** that b****.'"
The document states that on Monday, Feb. 5, at 7:56 p.m., the following messages were exchanged:
"After being asked to talk to [name redacted] Matthew indicates that he doesn't want his phone to 'ping.' Matthew questions, 'What did you hear?' and [name redacted] replied, 'She's dead.'"
Police said Matthew did not show up for his scheduled shift at High Steel Structures on Feb. 5. A coworker provided a detective with messages sent and received by Matthew Harrison. The document states that Matthew said in one of them, "Dude I'm in a world of sh**." The messages go on to say that he is on the run from police and the coworker will find out about it on the news, the affidavit states. He also tells the coworker the "demon in me finally broke free," according to investigators.
From Feb. 3 to Feb. 4, police said Matthew Harrison sent more than 120 messages to the victim before she replied. Among many harassing messages and insults, investigators said he also messaged the following phrases:
"Your not getting away with this."
"If I'm going down your coming with me."
"How's that for your marriage."
"It's till death do us apart."
