Neff Sentenced 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 been sentenced to 20 to 40 years in state prison. The sentence was imposed in Clinton County Court Thursday by President Judge Craig Miller.

Sentencing came after Neff, 57, had entered a guilty plea to murder of the third degree in a September court appearance.

Neff has been incarcerated for the last 18 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 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.