Julia Pederson, a 41-year-old pediatrician from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was killed in her family home on Oct. 10, authorities say. Police allege that her husband, Jonathan Gatto, also 41, strangled her and then deliberately set fire to the house. The allegations have not been adjudicated in court.
The Harrisburg Bureau of Police said investigators determined that the fire did not cause Pederson’s death. Gatto was arrested four days after the incident and charged with murder and arson, among other charges. He is being held in Dauphin County jail without bond. His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 28.
According to a report cited by the source, the couple’s 7-year-old daughter was asleep in an upstairs bedroom when the incident occurred. The supplied account does not provide further information about the child’s condition or circumstances after the fire.
Pederson was certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and earned her medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine. She completed her undergraduate education at Harvard University. Before joining her most recent practice, she provided pediatric care at organizations in Pennsylvania, California and Chicago.
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Children’s Community Pediatrics said Pederson began working there in February. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a UPMC CCP spokesperson described her as a valued colleague who devoted her career to caring for children and supporting families. The organization expressed condolences to her family and friends and requested privacy for them.
An obituary also emphasized Pederson’s work with children and the families who sought her care. The source material does not specify a motive for the alleged killing or provide further details about the fire investigation or the charges beyond murder and arson, among others.
