A man has been arrested in connection with the death of an elementary school principal in Utica.
On Tuesday, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office responded to 9111 Birch Circle in the Town of Marcy at approximately 10 am for a reported death. Upon arrival, they located a 50-year-old female deceased in her bed. The woman was identified as Elizabeth Gerling, principal at Columbus Elementary School.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, the circumstances surrounding Gerling’s death appeared suspicious, so arrangements were made to have Gerling’s body removed to the Onondaga County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy. Investigators were able to determine that Gerling’s boyfriend, Jeremy Kirch, of Camden, had been at the residence the night before until early that morning. Efforts were made to locate Kirch throughout the day. He was later located by the Rome Police Department and subsequently taken to Rome Memorial Hospital for an evaluation.
The following day, deputies were notified by the medical examiner’s office that Gerling’s death was going to be ruled a homicide, and the manner of death was asphyxia due to strangulation. Later that day, investigators from the criminal investigation unit responded to the hospital and spoke with Kirch regarding his involvement in Gerling’s death upon his discharge. After a short conversation with him, he was transported to the Kurt B. Wyman Law Enforcement Building for further questioning. After speaking with investigators, Kirch was arrested for murder in the second degree and he was arranged in Rome City Court Thursday morning and sent to the Oneida County Jail without bail.
Although an arrest has been made, the investigation into Elizabeth Gerling’s death is still ongoing. The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office is asking anybody who may have seen a gray 2019 Ford F350 towing a 2021 R-Pod camper (pictured below) on August 20 between 6 am and 8 am to contact them at (315) 765-2226.
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