Neff Enters Guilty Plea in Stabbing Death of Sister-in-Law

LOCK HAVEN – Timothy Alva Neff, the Rote man charged with stabbing his sister-in-law to death in May of last year, has entered a guilty plea in Clinton County Court. The Neff plea came Thursday afternoon before President Judge Craig Miller.

The plea was entered after Judge Miller explained in detail to Neff what he was pleading to, murder of the third degree. That and a 2004 charge of aggravated assault (for which Neff had been on probation),the court said, carries with it up to 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.

Judge Miller set sentencing for Oct. 12, with Neff to remain incarcerated at the Clinton County Correctional Facility until that time. A pre-sentence investigation was directed by the court.

Neff had been scheduled to go to trial later this fall, the case postponed due to the coronavirus.

Neff, 56, has been incarcerated for the last 16 months at the Clinton County Correctional Facility, charged with the May 10, 2019 stabbing death of his sister-in-law, Agnes Rae Neff, at their Lamar Township home. He had been taken into custody after a three-day search in May of last year following the incident.

Authorities at the time said Neff had fled the family home along Long Run Road in Rote following the dispute. His sister-in-law was pronounced dead at the scene of the crime; her husband, William W. Neff, 69, suffered non-life threatening injuries when he attempted to intervene.

The state police report said their investigation revealed that a verbal argument ensued between Timothy Neff and Agnes Neff. The argument escalated, police said, and became physical. During the altercation, police said, Neff stabbed his sister-in-law in the back with a knife.

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