Susan Ledyard; Benjamin Ledyard.Photo: Delaware Police Department; New Castle County PoliceThe former husband of a woman whosemurder remains unsolvedis now accused of assaulting his current partner.Benjamin Ledyard, 55, has been charged with second-degree assault, terroristic threatening and menacing.The New Castle County Division of Police said officers were dispatched to a residence in Wilmington on Jan. 1 at approximately 1:50 p.m. for an “in progress domestic dispute.“Ledyard’s partner told officers that she had an argument with Ledyard over loud music.“During the argument, Ledyard grabbed a pool stick and began swinging the object and chasing the victim around the house,” according to a police press release. “Ledyard then struck the victim in the head with a heavy marble item leaving a large laceration.“Ledyard’s partner left the home and called for help. He was taken into custody without incident, police said.Ledyard has yet to enter a plea. His attorney Peter W. Veith declined to comment about the case. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 24.Ledyard was also charged with first-degree assault for a previous incident between the couple in which his partner lost part of her fingertip.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.Jumping Rocks/UCG/Universal Images Group via GettyDelaware State Police are still investigating the unsolved murder of his first wife, Susan Ledyard.Susan, 50, disappeared in the early morning hours of July 23, 2019.Benjamin Ledyard toldDatelinethat he had gone to a movie earlier that evening with a friend. When he returned home, he saw Susan around 11 p.m. on the back porch drinking wine and texting.Susan’s older sister Missy Morrissey previously told PEOPLE she texted with her sister that evening. Her last text to her sister was at 12:29 a.m.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.Susan, who taught English at Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill, Pa., texted and called friends up till 2:47 a.m. in the early morning hours.Delaware State Police said Ledyard’s car left her Wilmington home just after 3 a.m. and drove about a mile to Walkers Mill Road, where she parked near the Rising Sun Road bridge over the Brandywine River. Video footage shows Ledyard’s headlights turn off. Police said because it was so dark out, they couldn’t determine if anyone got into or out of her black 2016 Honda Civic.Her body was found around 7:30 a.m. in the Brandywine River, about three miles from where her car was parked.She died from drowning and blunt force trauma. Her death has been ruled a homicide. Ledyard has never been charged in connection with her death.“We thought it was some sort of an accident,” Susan’s younger sister Meg Heinicke previously told PEOPLE. “Who would want to kill her? Nobody would. The police had to convince us that this was not an accident. It just seemed so outrageous and impossible to believe.“Susan’s family declined to comment about Ledyard’s arrest.“We want to remind the public that Susan’s case is an active, open homicide investigation,” the family said in a statement to PEOPLE. “We will continue to do everything in our power to help get this case solved. There is a $50k reward for information leading to an arrest. Susan’s family and friends love and miss her terribly and we will continue to fight for answers.“Her family started The Susan Morrissey Foundation in Susan’s honor. The foundation provides scholarships to graduates of Academy Park high school in Pennsylvania where Susan taught English.If anyone has information about Susan’s death, contact Detective Daniel Grassi of the Homicide Unit at 302 365-8441 or email him atdaniel.grassi@delaware.gov.If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Susan Ledyard; Benjamin Ledyard.Photo: Delaware Police Department; New Castle County Police
The former husband of a woman whosemurder remains unsolvedis now accused of assaulting his current partner.Benjamin Ledyard, 55, has been charged with second-degree assault, terroristic threatening and menacing.The New Castle County Division of Police said officers were dispatched to a residence in Wilmington on Jan. 1 at approximately 1:50 p.m. for an “in progress domestic dispute.“Ledyard’s partner told officers that she had an argument with Ledyard over loud music.“During the argument, Ledyard grabbed a pool stick and began swinging the object and chasing the victim around the house,” according to a police press release. “Ledyard then struck the victim in the head with a heavy marble item leaving a large laceration.“Ledyard’s partner left the home and called for help. He was taken into custody without incident, police said.Ledyard has yet to enter a plea. His attorney Peter W. Veith declined to comment about the case. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 24.Ledyard was also charged with first-degree assault for a previous incident between the couple in which his partner lost part of her fingertip.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.Jumping Rocks/UCG/Universal Images Group via GettyDelaware State Police are still investigating the unsolved murder of his first wife, Susan Ledyard.Susan, 50, disappeared in the early morning hours of July 23, 2019.Benjamin Ledyard toldDatelinethat he had gone to a movie earlier that evening with a friend. When he returned home, he saw Susan around 11 p.m. on the back porch drinking wine and texting.Susan’s older sister Missy Morrissey previously told PEOPLE she texted with her sister that evening. Her last text to her sister was at 12:29 a.m.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.Susan, who taught English at Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill, Pa., texted and called friends up till 2:47 a.m. in the early morning hours.Delaware State Police said Ledyard’s car left her Wilmington home just after 3 a.m. and drove about a mile to Walkers Mill Road, where she parked near the Rising Sun Road bridge over the Brandywine River. Video footage shows Ledyard’s headlights turn off. Police said because it was so dark out, they couldn’t determine if anyone got into or out of her black 2016 Honda Civic.Her body was found around 7:30 a.m. in the Brandywine River, about three miles from where her car was parked.She died from drowning and blunt force trauma. Her death has been ruled a homicide. Ledyard has never been charged in connection with her death.“We thought it was some sort of an accident,” Susan’s younger sister Meg Heinicke previously told PEOPLE. “Who would want to kill her? Nobody would. The police had to convince us that this was not an accident. It just seemed so outrageous and impossible to believe.“Susan’s family declined to comment about Ledyard’s arrest.“We want to remind the public that Susan’s case is an active, open homicide investigation,” the family said in a statement to PEOPLE. “We will continue to do everything in our power to help get this case solved. There is a $50k reward for information leading to an arrest. Susan’s family and friends love and miss her terribly and we will continue to fight for answers.“Her family started The Susan Morrissey Foundation in Susan’s honor. The foundation provides scholarships to graduates of Academy Park high school in Pennsylvania where Susan taught English.If anyone has information about Susan’s death, contact Detective Daniel Grassi of the Homicide Unit at 302 365-8441 or email him atdaniel.grassi@delaware.gov.If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
The former husband of a woman whosemurder remains unsolvedis now accused of assaulting his current partner.
Benjamin Ledyard, 55, has been charged with second-degree assault, terroristic threatening and menacing.
The New Castle County Division of Police said officers were dispatched to a residence in Wilmington on Jan. 1 at approximately 1:50 p.m. for an “in progress domestic dispute.”
Ledyard’s partner told officers that she had an argument with Ledyard over loud music.
“During the argument, Ledyard grabbed a pool stick and began swinging the object and chasing the victim around the house,” according to a police press release. “Ledyard then struck the victim in the head with a heavy marble item leaving a large laceration.”
Ledyard’s partner left the home and called for help. He was taken into custody without incident, police said.
Ledyard has yet to enter a plea. His attorney Peter W. Veith declined to comment about the case. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 24.
Ledyard was also charged with first-degree assault for a previous incident between the couple in which his partner lost part of her fingertip.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Jumping Rocks/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty
Delaware State Police are still investigating the unsolved murder of his first wife, Susan Ledyard.
Susan, 50, disappeared in the early morning hours of July 23, 2019.
Benjamin Ledyard toldDatelinethat he had gone to a movie earlier that evening with a friend. When he returned home, he saw Susan around 11 p.m. on the back porch drinking wine and texting.
Susan’s older sister Missy Morrissey previously told PEOPLE she texted with her sister that evening. Her last text to her sister was at 12:29 a.m.
Susan, who taught English at Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill, Pa., texted and called friends up till 2:47 a.m. in the early morning hours.
Delaware State Police said Ledyard’s car left her Wilmington home just after 3 a.m. and drove about a mile to Walkers Mill Road, where she parked near the Rising Sun Road bridge over the Brandywine River. Video footage shows Ledyard’s headlights turn off. Police said because it was so dark out, they couldn’t determine if anyone got into or out of her black 2016 Honda Civic.
Her body was found around 7:30 a.m. in the Brandywine River, about three miles from where her car was parked.
She died from drowning and blunt force trauma. Her death has been ruled a homicide. Ledyard has never been charged in connection with her death.
“We thought it was some sort of an accident,” Susan’s younger sister Meg Heinicke previously told PEOPLE. “Who would want to kill her? Nobody would. The police had to convince us that this was not an accident. It just seemed so outrageous and impossible to believe.”
Susan’s family declined to comment about Ledyard’s arrest.
“We want to remind the public that Susan’s case is an active, open homicide investigation,” the family said in a statement to PEOPLE. “We will continue to do everything in our power to help get this case solved. There is a $50k reward for information leading to an arrest. Susan’s family and friends love and miss her terribly and we will continue to fight for answers.”
Her family started The Susan Morrissey Foundation in Susan’s honor. The foundation provides scholarships to graduates of Academy Park high school in Pennsylvania where Susan taught English.
If anyone has information about Susan’s death, contact Detective Daniel Grassi of the Homicide Unit at 302 365-8441 or email him atdaniel.grassi@delaware.gov.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
