Woman stabbed to death while trying to buy fridge from man on Facebook Marketplace

A Pennsylvania man is accused of stabbing a nurse to death in his apartment in a dispute believed to be over the price of a refrigerator, according to police.

Denise Williams, 54, a mother of two from Hornerstown, had agreed to buy the appliance on social media but was stabbed multiple times with a knife and died, despite fighting to protect herself.

“She put up one heck of a fight ... to defend herself,” Cambria County Coroner Jeffrey Lees said. “But this was a violent death she sustained.”

Joshua Gorgone, 26, is accused of her murder, apparently having left Ms Williams to die in his Old Scalp Avenue home in Geistown, Pennsylvania.

Ms Williams was found in the bathroom of the apartment having died from the loss of a massive amount of blood from multiple wounds.

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It is understood that the pair knew one another online having arranged to meet through Facebook Marketplace, a platform that allows people to buy and sell goods. Ms Williams intended to buy the fridge as a gift for her boyfriend.

Mr Gorgone was arrested on Tuesday afternoon by police in the parking lot of a Richland Township shopping centre, The Tribune Democrat reports.

Authorities suspect that he may have intended to misdirect the investigation into Ms Williams’ whereabouts. Her Chevrolet SUV was found parked four blocks from the crime scene, while her cellphone was eight miles away in nearby Johnstown. Investigators believe they were moved after she died.

A criminal complaint says that fresh blood was found on the driver’s side door and a small bag of what is believed to be cocaine was in the centre console.

Mr Gorgone has been charged with homicide and two counts of aggravated assault and is being held without bond, per state law. Several knives were removed from the scene as evidence.

Additional charges could follow as the investigation progresses, Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer said.

In what is described by Mr Neugebauer as a “horrible, gut-wrenching coincidence”, Ms William is the sister of Robert “Bobby” Williams Jr, who was shot and killed inside his Richland home in 2013, moments after two men forced their way inside, according to authorities.

There is no indication that the two cases are connected authorities say.

Mr Neugebauer said the Williams family is going through an “unimaginably difficult” time – but nevertheless deserves gratitude for playing a “crucial” role in helping investigators locate her alleged assailant.

Unable to locate Ms Williams on Tuesday they immediately contacted police and provided investigators with a Facebook post that led them to the crime scene.

Mr Gorgone is due in court on 14 April and is being held at Cambria County Prison.