Police said home surveillance video captured the prolonged attack before the victim was found dead on her front porch.
SEWICKLEY TOWNSHIP, PA — A 29-year-old Pennsylvania man has been charged with criminal homicide after state police said surveillance video showed him assaulting his mother for more than an hour outside her Westmoreland County home Sunday morning.
Jakob Korber was arrested in the death of his mother, Christin Hamilton, after an hours-long search in Sewickley Township, according to Pennsylvania State Police and the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office. Authorities said a relative found Hamilton severely injured on the front porch of a home along Herminie West Newton Road and called 911. Hamilton was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators said surveillance video from the property showed Korber and Hamilton arguing before the encounter turned violent. State police said the recording showed Korber using his hands, feet and several objects from the porch during the assault. Police have described the attack as lasting more than an hour while Hamilton called for help.
Trooper Steve Limani told KDKA-TV that Hamilton appeared to have been beginning her morning when the confrontation started. She was wearing a towel, drinking coffee and letting a dog outside, he said. Her daughter later searched for her and found her outside the home at about 9 a.m. Authorities have not publicly identified a motive for the alleged attack.
Limani said Hamilton’s pleas could be heard on the surveillance recording, although people nearby apparently did not hear them at the time. “She went through hell for over an hour, and it was at the hands of her son,” Limani said. Police have described the footage as important evidence in establishing the length and sequence of the assault.
After the attack, investigators believe Korber changed clothes and left the property. Limani said Korber apparently went to a nearby field and slept while authorities searched the area. State police had publicly identified him as a person they were seeking and asked anyone who saw him to call authorities.
Korber was later spotted walking along a road near the residence. Video recorded by KDKA-TV showed him approaching the police presence near the home before kneeling and placing his hands over his head. Authorities said he was taken into custody without incident Sunday evening.
Police said Korber made statements during a subsequent interview linking himself to his mother’s death. The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office said he was charged with one count of criminal homicide. The office emphasized that the charge is an accusation and that Korber is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The case remains under investigation. Korber was denied bail following his arraignment and is being held at the Westmoreland County Prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 14, when prosecutors are expected to present evidence to establish whether the homicide charge should proceed in court.
Author note: Last updated September 1, 2026.