Commonwealth v. Wholaver

OPINION

Justice SAYLOR.

This is a capital direct appeal challenging the appellant’s convictions and sentences of death arising from, among other criminal acts, his killing of his wife and two children in Middletown, Pennsylvania.

As background, in July 2002, Appellant, Ernest R. Wholaver, Jr., was charged with multiple sexual offenses for alleged conduct involving his two daughters, Victoria and Elizabeth, the latter of whom was still a minor at the time the charges were lodged. On behalf of Elizabeth, Appellant’s wife, Jean Wholaver, obtained an order under the Protection From Abuse Act, see 23…