Woman Charged in Freemansburg Killing

A 27-year-old Freemansburg woman is charged with homicide in the shooting death of another woman in the borough over the weekend.

According to the Northampton County District Attorney’s office, Lacole Diane Dotson was arrested shortly after Freemansburg Borough Police responded to a 911 call at 23 Market Street shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday.

“On arrival, police encountered a female shooting victim, age 27, and a male shooting victim, age 45,” the DA’s office said in a news release. “Another female, identified as Lacole Diane Dotson, was also found at the residence. … On investigation, police learned that Dotson shot the female victim and also shot the male victim in the front living room of the residence.”

As of Monday morning, authorities hadn’t named either victim. The release said both were taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital in Fountain Hill, where the woman died from her injuries and where the man remained hospitalized.

In addition to criminal homicide, the DA’s office said Dotson is charged with attempted homicide and aggravated assault in the shooting of the male victim.

“Police investigation disclosed that the female deceased victim, the male victim and Dotson were all known to one another,” the release said. It also noted that there is no further threat to public safety.

Dotson was preliminarily arraigned Saturday before District Judge Daniel Corpora, who denied bail and remanded her to Northampton County Prison. According to the docket filed in the case, a preliminary hearing before Corpora is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 1 p.m.

The investigation into what led to the shooting is being handled by the Pennsylvania State Police Troop M Major Case Team, with assistance from Freemansburg Borough Police and the Northampton County District Attorney’s office.

Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio said Saturday that an autopsy to determine the victim’s cause of death would be completed Monday at the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office & Forensic Center. Buglio determined that the manner of death was homicide.

Northampton County court records do not list any past charges or convictions for Dotson, who is also charged with a misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment, according to the docket.

Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using information provided by the Northampton County District Attorney’s office and Northampton County court records.