Bearnhardt and Cora Hartig Murders: Where is Tyrone Noling Now? – The tragic and cruel murder of Bearnhardt and Cora Hartig in April 1990 is the subject of the AMC+ television series “True Crime Story: It Couldn’t Happen Here.” The couple was discovered shot on their ranch in Portage County, Ohio, by their neighbor’s son. Before they could eventually identify the offender, the police had to pursue numerous leads and acquire pertinent data. The episode briefly presents the facts while guiding the audience through the involved inquiry process. We can tell you who committed the crime, who it belongs to, and where they are right now. So let’s get started, shall we?
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How Did Bearnhardt and Cora Hartig Die?
George Hartig and Rachel Bevans Hartig welcomed Bearnhardt Hartig into the world on September 22, 1908, in Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland. Lloyd A. Arnold and Susie A. Baker Arnold welcomed Cora Arnold Hartig into the world in Avilton, Garrett County, Maryland, in 1909. After being hitched, they relocated to an Ohio property in Portage County.
According to James Davis, a neighbor’s son, the Hartigs’ garage door was open, and their lawn tractor had been left in the yard for two days on April 7, 1990. When he checked the Hartigs, he discovered them on the kitchen floor. Davis made a police call. The dead were found fully dressed in the kitchen by the police, who also smelled what they believed to be decaying flesh. Near the victims, detectives discovered 10 Winchester.25 calibre shot casings.
Five shots had been fired at Cora Hartig, who had internal injuries and died “as a result of gunshot wounds to her chest.” Three bullet wounds to the right chest and severe internal injuries caused Bearnhardt Hartig’s death. Since there was no sign of stippling or gunpowder residue, the shots had to have been fired from a distance of more than one and a half to three feet.
Who Killed Cora Hartig and Bearnhardt and Why?
On April 5, 1990, Dalesandro drove Noling, St. Clair, and Wolcott from Alliance into Portage County between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m. They halted at the ranch house owned by the Hartigs in Atwater Township. Both of the Hartigs were 81 years of age. Bearnhardt Hartig had been cutting the grass when Dalesandro halted, and Noling and St. Clair exited. When Cora Hartig opened the door after Noling knocked, St. Clair followed Noling as he “pushed his way in.” Noling had a.25 calibre semiautomatic with one clip in the weapon and another clip in his pocket, while St. Clair held the shotgun.
Dalesandro and Wolcott left Noling, and St. Clair at their destination, drove around for a time, then came back and parked in the Hartigs’ driveway. Wolcott heard gunshots, a woman cry, and more gunshots around 20 to 30 minutes after Noling and St. Clair had entered the Hartigs’ house. Noling and St. Clair hurried out of the house and into the automobile a short while later.
Alliance police detained Noling and his associates in connection with the Alliance robberies two days after the Hartigs’ remains were found. Tyrone confessed his involvement in the Hartig killings to two other jail inmates while authorities held him alongside Noling. He, however, refuted to the police any involvement in the Hartigs’ murder.
Where is Tyrone Noling Now?
In addition to two counts of aggravated felony murder, aggravated robbery, and aggravated burglary, the grand jury indicted Noling. Gun specs were included in every count. Noling was convicted on all charges at trial and given a death sentence in 1996. In the years afterward, Noling has filed numerous appeals, including one to the Ohio Supreme Court, but each of them has been rejected.
Noling has consistently denied being involved in the deaths of the Hartigs. Noling’s case has recently been picked up by the Ohio Innocence Project, a program of the University of Cincinnati College of Law that represents people who it feels were wrongfully convicted of crimes. Tyrone, 49, was denied access to documents that might contain evidence the Portage County Common Pleas Court never gave his trial lawyers. Still, that decision was overturned in March 2022 by the 11th District Court of Appeals.
