APPARENT HOMICIDE VICTIM IDENTIFIED

(Cheltenham, MD) – The woman found dead outside a youthful offender facility in Prince George’s County has been positively identified as state and county police continue to investigate her apparent murder.

The victim has been identified as Hannah E. Wheeling, 65, of the 200-block of Courtland Place, Bel Air, Md. The victim worked as a teacher of general studies at the Murphy School, a facility located outside the perimeter fence at the Cheltenham Youth Facility in the 11000-block of Frank Tippet Road, Cheltenham, Md.

At about 7:45 a.m. today, a staff member at the school found the victim’s body lying outside a door of the school building on the lower level of the two story brick building. Police were called to the scene and the victim was pronounced deceased.

Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit, assisted by detectives from the Prince George’s County Police Department Homicide Unit, responded to the scene and began an investigation. The preliminary investigation found the victim arrived at the school at about 8:00 a.m. yesterday. Police are working to determine what her activities were during the day. They have found no evidence that the victim left the school at anytime last evening.

The victim’s body was found lying partially clothed outside the door of the school building. Investigators believe the victim had been assaulted. The victim’s body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.

Police investigators continue to interview staff members and the students in the building. About 20 male students are in the building, which houses their dormitory, classrooms, and offices.

Maryland State Police crime scene technicians responded and processed the scene. A State Police helicopter was used to survey the scene from overhead and take aerial photographs.

The investigation is continuing.