Executive Summary
- Rebecca Hartsook testified she turned over a .32-caliber Colt to police after her husband asked her to hide it.
- David Hartsook is on trial for first-degree murder regarding the 2022 shooting of security guard Troy Rickenbach.
- Ballistics testing allegedly matched the surrendered gun to the weapon used in the homicide.
- The investigation was aided by a connection to a burglary at a salon owned by a reality TV star.
READING, Pa. – In a significant development during the first-degree murder trial of David Hartsook, the defendant’s wife testified that she surrendered the weapon allegedly used in the August 2022 killing of a security guard to law enforcement. Rebecca Hartsook told the Berks County Court jury on Tuesday that she turned over a .32-caliber Colt pistol to police after her husband, calling from custody, instructed her to dispose of it.
According to court testimony, David Hartsook is facing charges including first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated assault regarding the death of 37-year-old Troy Rickenbach and the wounding of Rafael Yambo. The shooting occurred while the victims were guarding a commercial vehicle lot in rural Berks County. Prosecutors allege the incident arose during an attempted theft of catalytic converters.
Rebecca Hartsook stated that following her husband’s arrest on unrelated burglary charges, he contacted her from York County Central Booking. “He said, ‘Doesn’t matter… I got it from somebody. I need you to get rid of it,'” she testified, recalling the conversation. Instead of discarding the weapon, she contacted Springettsbury Township Detective Chad Moyer. Body camera footage presented in court showed Rebecca explaining the situation to Detective Moyer before he retrieved the firearm from a bathroom sink.
State police investigators testified that subsequent ballistics testing confirmed the surrendered Colt pistol was the weapon used in the homicide, providing a breakthrough in an investigation that had previously stalled. Prior to the recovery of the gun, authorities relied primarily on a rough description provided by the surviving victim, Rafael Yambo, and evidence of a blue minivan seen at the scene.
The trial also featured testimony from Arthur Johnson III, an acquaintance who allegedly accompanied Hartsook on the night of the shooting. Johnson testified that Hartsook drove them to the lot to steal vehicle parts and was armed at the time. Johnson claimed he hid in the vehicle when security approached and heard gunshots shortly thereafter. Under cross-examination by defense attorney Christie Billman, Johnson admitted he did not visually confirm Hartsook holding the gun at the moment of the shooting due to darkness.
The investigation into the homicide converged with inquiries into a local theft ring. Police connected Hartsook to a burglary at a salon co-owned by a reality television personality from the show “90 Day Fiancé.” Evidence from that burglary, along with thefts of construction equipment, eventually led police to the Hartsook residence, prompting the sequence of events that resulted in the weapon’s recovery.
It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Investigative Impact
The convergence of separate criminal investigations—ranging from commercial burglary to homicide—highlights the critical role of inter-agency cooperation in solving complex cases. In this instance, a property crime investigation by Springettsbury Township authorities provided the leverage and access necessary for state police to secure key material evidence in a homicide case. The legal proceedings will likely hinge on the credibility of the spousal testimony and the forensic linkage of the surrendered weapon to the crime scene, challenging the defense’s strategy of implicating alternative suspects.
