HERSHEY, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from July 15, 2019.
A man convicted of strangling a Dauphin County woman to death and setting her Derry Township house on fire in an attempt to cover up the murder will serve up to 60 years in prison. He was sentenced Monday, Jan. 10 in Dauphin County Court, District Attorney Fran Chardo announced.
Calvin Purdie, 35, received a sentence of 30 to 60 years in prison for the May 23, 2019 murder of Charlotte Chaplin and a 10- to 20-year consecutive prison term for his conviction of aggravated arson related to the case.
According to evidence presented at trial, Purdie strangled Chaplin to death in her W. Chocolate Ave. home, then set the house on fire while his girlfriend, Shania Chaplin, and his four-year-old daughter slept inside.
The arson fire also endangered emergency responders who rushed into the burning structure trying to save Charlotte Chaplin, prosecutors said. Firefighter Keith Shank and Derry Township Police Sgt. Anthony Clements and Officer Kenneth Shank sustained injuries while responding to the fire.
Purdie was on parole for aggravated assault when he committed the murder and arson and will face revocation of that parole following his conviction of the other crimes.
Not accounting for his parole revocation, Purdie will not be eligible for parole until Aug. 27, 2049, according to prosecutors.