Serial killer responsible for 2 unsolved murders of young women in Pittsburgh area, police say

For about five decades, two Washington County families have been without answers as their loved ones' killer was still out there. Now state police have given them some closure and believe the suspect may have been a serial killer behind more deaths. 

In 1976, 21-year-old Susan Rush left a Washington County shopping center to head to a Thanksgiving Eve dinner. She never made it and was found dead in the trunk of her car on North Avenue. A few months later, in May 1977, 18-year-old Brenda Ritter left her boyfriend's house and never made it home. She was found dead on a hillside near Roupe Road in South Strabane.

"These cases never go away," said Cpl. James Petrosky with Pennsylvania State Police's Troop B criminal investigation assessment unit during a press conference on Wednesday. "They remain open. Our unit strives to try to progress these cases forward." 

Both women were found to have been sexually assaulted and strangled. Police continued efforts to find a killer but to no avail. Suspects and persons of interest never panned out. In 2025, through DNA testing, they found both victims had the same killer.

"This testing confirmed there was a serial killer in Washington County during this timeframe," Petrosky said.

With more technology, they were able to identify the alleged killer as James Richard Clark Sr., who had not been a suspect before. He was 19 when he allegedly killed Rush, and 20 at the time of Ritter's homicide. Investigators said he was from the Washington area and worked as a long-haul trucker. He died of natural causes in July 2023, and state police say he may have had more victims.

"I believe that once you're a serial killer, you're always a serial killer. I believe there could potentially be more victims out there," Petrosky said.

At this point, the families of the victims are relieved for some answers and closure.

"We're constantly revisiting these cases, trying to go through the evidence and see if there's additional items that can be tested and retested," Petrosky said.

State police continue their investigation into Clark and his motives.