Harrisburg pediatrician Julia Pederson killed by husband, police say
Harrisburg pediatrician Dr. Julia Pederson was strangled and her home was set on fire by her husband, Jonathan Gatto, according to police. Gatto has been arrested and charged with murder and arson.
A Harrisburg pediatrician was murdered by her husband, who police say strangled her inside the family’s home before intentionally setting the house on fire.
Julia Pederson, 41, was killed on Saturday, Oct. 10. Four days later, her husband, 41-year-old Jonathan Gatto, was arrested and charged with murder and arson, among other charges.
The Harrisburg Bureau of Police said, “The investigation ultimately revealed that the death of the victim, a 41-year-old female, was not caused by a fire.”
At the time of the incident, the couple’s 7-year-old daughter was sleeping in an upstairs bedroom.
Pederson was a certified pediatrician who earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her medical degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine. She started a position with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children’s Community Pediatrics in February and previously provided pediatric care in Pennsylvania, California and Chicago.
A spokesperson for UPMC CCP said in a statement:
We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Dr. Julia Pederson, a beloved pediatrician and valued member of our UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics team. Dr. Pederson devoted her career to caring for children and supporting families, and her loss is felt deeply by colleagues, patients and communities she served. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and loved ones, and ask that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.
An obituary for Pederson stated:
Through her medical career, Julia devoted herself to the health and well-being of children, providing care and support to the families who placed their trust in her.
Gatto is currently held in a Dauphin County jail with no bond, and his next court date is scheduled for Oct. 28.
