CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — The preliminary hearing for Chase Wayan Steigerwald, the man charged with homicide in the November killing of a DuBois woman, was postponed from its scheduled date on December 2, but court officials have not announced when it will be rescheduled.
Clarion Borough Police Chief Bill Peck confirmed to exploreClarion.com that the hearing had been continued. He added that his department has not yet received a notice of the new hearing date or time.
Court staff from the office of Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill confirmed that the hearing did not take place on December 2 as originally planned but could not provide any additional details.
Court records currently show no updates reflecting the postponement or a new hearing date.
Steigerwald, 34, faces a felony criminal homicide charge in connection with the death of 45-year-old Rachel Roman. Roman was found deceased in Steigerwald’s apartment on Main Street in Clarion on the morning of November 5, 2025.
Police say the investigation revealed Steigerwald allegedly stabbed Roman, washed blood from his hands in his kitchen sink, and attempted to stage the scene to appear like a suicide before calling 911.
According to the affidavit, a witness who was inside the apartment at the time later told police they heard “gurgling/choking noises” from the living room before discovering Roman’s body. The same witness said Steigerwald placed a knife in the victim’s hand, appearing to try to transfer fingerprints to the weapon.
Authorities said surveillance footage confirmed the witness’s timeline, and that Steigerwald admitted to smoking methamphetamine and washing his hands before contacting emergency services.
Roman’s autopsy revealed multiple sharp force injuries, including wounds to her neck, chest, and face. The cause of death was ruled as sharp force injuries to the neck.
Steigerwald remains held without bail at the Clarion County Jail.
