Husband charged with murder of pediatrician Julia Pederson after Harrisburg house fire
Jonathan Gatto has been charged with murder and arson over the death of his wife, pediatrician Julia Pederson, 41, after a fire at their Harrisburg, Pennsylvania home on Oct. 10. Police say she was dead before the fire began.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Right · 2Jonathan Gatto was charged on Wednesday, Oct. 14, with the murder of his wife, pediatrician Julia Pederson, 41, after a fire at their home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Oct. 10. New York PostR “Jonathan Gatto, 42, was charged Wednesday with the murder of his pediatrician wife Julia Pederson, 41” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “Authorities said the fire happened on Saturday, Oct. 10.” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1Besides first-degree murder, the New York Post reports that Gatto faces arson, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and endangering the welfare of children charges, citing an affidavit. New York PostR “Along with first degree murder, Gatto faces arson charges for allegdly intentionally starting the fire. He was also charged with of abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and endangering the welfare of children.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2Harrisburg Bureau of Police said the investigation found that the 41-year-old woman's death "was not caused by a fire". Fox News reports that police say Gatto strangled her and then deliberately set the house on fire. The Post, citing an affidavit, says blood tests reportedly showed she was dead before the blaze, and that the coroner ruled the cause of death homicide by multiple traumatic injuries. Fox NewsR “The investigation ultimately revealed that the death of the victim, a 41-year-old female, was not caused by a fire.” Read at Fox News ↗ New York PostR “Blood tests, however, reportedly showed Pederson”“The coroner ruled Pederson’s cause of death as homicide by multiple traumatic injuries” Read at New York Post ↗
Right · 1According to the affidavit as relayed by the Post, Gatto told police a smoke detector woke him, he found a small fire in a downstairs bedroom, took their daughter outside and called 911, and burned his hand trying to go back in for Pederson. New York PostR “Gatto allegedly told police he was suddenly awakened by a smoke detector early Saturday and then saw a small fire had broken out in a downstairs bedroom”“he burned his hand, according to the affidavit” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1Gatto also reportedly told officers that the marriage was on the rocks and that the couple planned to separate and were working out how to tell their daughter. New York PostR “He said they planned to separate and were trying to figure out how to talk to their daughter about it” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2The couple's 7-year-old daughter was asleep during the incident; Fox, citing KATV, says she was in an upstairs bedroom. New York PostR “while their 7-year-old daughter was asleep” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “the couple's 7-year-old daughter was also sleeping in an upstairs bedroom at the time of the incident, according to KATV” Read at Fox News ↗
Right · 1Pederson worked for UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics, having started there in February. She was board-certified, with a medical degree from Stanford and an undergraduate degree from Harvard, and had practised in Pennsylvania, California and Chicago. Fox NewsR “Pederson was an American Board of Pediatrics-certified pediatrician who earned her medical degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine. She earned her undergrad from Harvard University.”“had started her position there in February” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1UPMC said it was "deeply saddened" and called her a beloved pediatrician who devoted her career to caring for children and supporting families. New York PostR “We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Dr. Julia Pederson, a beloved pediatrician and valued member of our UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics team” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1Fox reports Gatto was arrested four days after the fire and is held in Dauphin County jail without bond, with his next court date on Oct. 28. The outlets differ on his age, 42 in the Post and 41 in Fox. The charges are allegations, and neither article includes a response from Gatto. Fox NewsR “Gatto is currently sitting in a Dauphin County jail cell with no bond. His next court date is Oct. 28.”“Four days later, Gatto was arrested and charged with murder and arson” Read at Fox News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets treat it as a crime story about a beloved doctor allegedly killed by her husband, with headlines leading on the strangling and the fire.
- Emphasis
- Pederson's credentials and reputation (Stanford, Harvard, 'beloved'), the allegation she was dead before the fire, and the sleeping child.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither includes any response from Gatto or a defence lawyer beyond his reported statements to police; details such as the exact police-reported motive are absent.
- Charged language
- “heartlessly”“beloved”“Ivy-League educated”
- For example
-
“then heartlessly set her body on fire in their home” — New York Post
“Ivy-League educated pediatrician allegedly murdered by husband who then set home on fire: police” — Fox News
What every side reports
- Jonathan Gatto is charged with murder and arson over the death of his wife, Julia Pederson, 41.
- The fire at their Harrisburg home was on Saturday, Oct. 10.
- Their 7-year-old daughter was asleep in the house.
- UPMC called Pederson a beloved pediatrician.
Where accounts differ
-
Gatto's age
- Right
- The Post says 42; Fox says 41.
Jonathan Gatto person
Per the affidavit, he told police a smoke detector woke him, he got his daughter out and burned his hand trying to rescue his wife, and said the marriage was ending. Police and prosecutors allege he killed her and set the fire.
“He claimed he rushed to get his young daughter outside then called 911” — New York Post
Julia Pederson person
Described by UPMC and obituary as a devoted pediatrician; police say she was dead before the fire.
“Julia devoted herself to the health and well-being of children” — Fox News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
-
Alarmist Leads on the affidavit's account of strangulation and the body being burned while the child slept, with emotive wording.
-
Ivy-League educated pediatrician allegedly murdered by husband who then set home on fire: police
Sympathetic Emphasises Pederson's credentials and career, quotes police and UPMC, and notes the court date.
- 15 Oct 20:40 First New York PostR Beloved doctor’s husband allegedly strangled her, set her body on fire while young daughter was asleep
- 16 Oct 18:26 +21h 46m Fox NewsR Ivy-League educated pediatrician allegedly murdered by husband who then set home on fire: police
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…