HONEYOE FALLS, N.Y. (1010 WINS) — An upstate New York middle school paraprofessional has been charged with murdering her sister, whose body was discovered in a local river after a three-day search, according to law enforcement.
Jamie Busch, 53, is charged with second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence in the death of her sister, 62-year-old Penny Busch.
On Friday, Oct. 11, deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff did a wellness check on Penny Busch at her Honeyoe Falls residence, located on Ontario Street, but she could not be found.
A preliminary investigation led deputies to believe her disappearance was suspicious, and an active grid-search using drones, K-9 units and fire department partners was conducted across her eight-acre property. The search went through the weekend, to no avail.
Three days later, on Oct. 14, the sheriff’s office said that investigators were tipped off to focus their search around the Genesee River, one town over in Rush.
There, the body of a deceased woman was located, recovered from the waterway and transported to the Monroe County Medical Examiner as deputies continued to pursue leads regarding Penny Busch’s disappearance.
On Oct. 18, the medical examiner positively identified the body. In that time, investigators had “established significant evidence and probable cause to arrest her sister, Jamie Busch, for the murder,” the sheriff’s office said.
According to court documents obtained by 13-WHAM on Sunday, Jamie Busch is accused of strangling her sister to death and hiding her phones in a dumpster at a Dunkin’.
The suspect, who worked at a middle school in the Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District, was placed on leave by the district.
“Although we have never encountered a situation like this in our district, we are confident that, as a community, we will come together, support one another, and get through this difficult time,” Superintendent Gene Mancuso said in a statement to the school community.
The district said that it is fully cooperating with law enforcement, and that it is making counseling services available to anyone in the community who may need support.
“Please be assured that the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our top priority, and we are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for everyone,” Mancuso said.
Jamie Busch was arraigned in Mendon Town Court and remanded to the Monroe County Jail without bail, law enforcement said.
“I would like to thank the sharp deputies who determined this was more than just a check the welfare with an adult not home,” Sheriff Todd K. Baxter said. “The investigators’ determination to find leads, locate the deceased in the river, and apprehend her sister for the murder is remarkable.”