The man traveled to Lancaster County after the killing, and police arrested him Friday afternoon outside Lancaster General Hospital, where he works.

Edward Samuel Bernat, 49, had been living in an East Lampeter Township motel since Jan. 5, when Marisa Peach, 33, was beaten to death.

Police Friday said they had been watching Bernat since Peach’s body was found inside the house at 3630 Ash St., Susquehanna Township. They arrested Bernat about 1 p.m. Friday outside Lancaster General, Susquehanna Township police Chief Robert A. Martin said.

“(Bernat) has been stoic and unemotional regarding the death,” Martin said. “.... He has made a lot of different statements regarding the death, but no confession.”

Susquehanna Township police were dispatched to the Ash Street home about 5 p.m. Jan. 5 after Bernat called 911 and said he had just returned home from work and found his fiancée dead. Bernat told medics he last saw Peach alive at 6:20 a.m. that day.

Peach suffered severe injuries from a beating to the left side of her head, face, arms and legs, according to court documents. She also had a large bruise across her nose. An autopsy conducted Jan. 8 by the Dauphin County coroner revealed Peach died from a large subdural hematoma, a form of traumatic brain injury. She also suffered a broken nose.

Bernat told police he came home from a doctor’s appointment Jan. 4 and found Peach intoxicated. An altercation ensued, and Bernat left, he said.

Toxicology tests revealed no evidence Peach had consumed drugs or alcohol prior to her death.

Bernat said he eventually returned to the home and went to sleep with Peach. When he awoke at 5:15 a.m., Peach was alive, he said.

“Mr. Bernat was our main suspect, but it took some time to review test results and confirm some things,” Martin said. “We kept a close watch on Bernat the whole time.”

After Peach’s death, Bernat spent several nights at Congress Inn Motel, 2316 Lincoln Highway East. He also slept in his car, Martin said.

Bernat continued to work at the hospital as an equipment repairman after the slaying, Martin said.

Lancaster General spokesman John P. Lines declined to comment Friday.

Police said the couple had clashed in the past. In November 2006, Bernat was arrested for allegedly assaulting Peach. The charges were dismissed after Peach, a Seattle native, declined to testify at a preliminary hearing, Martin said. “Mr. Bernat has a history of assaulting women in his life,” Martin said. “If anything can be learned from this, it’s that young ladies should continue through with charges.”

District Judge Ray Shugars arraigned Bernat Friday on a charge of homicide. Bernat was committed to Dauphin County Prison without bail to await a preliminary hearing.


Brett Lovelace’s e-mail address is blovelace@lnpnews.com.