A school employee from Honeoye Falls, a village in upstate New York, has been arrested and charged with the murder of her sister. Jamie Busch, 53, who works as a paraprofessional at a local middle school, is accused of killing her sister, Penny Busch, 62, a mother of two. Penny had been missing for 12 days before her body was discovered in a river following an extensive three-day search.
The investigation began on October 11, when a welfare check on Penny Busch took an unexpected turn. Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter reported that deputies found several unusual elements during the check, which led to a manhunt. The search involved police dogs and drones, focusing on the eight-acre property of the missing woman.
Three days into the search, police divers discovered a body in the Genesee River in Rush. The body was later identified as Penny Busch. The sheriff’s office stated that significant evidence and probable cause led to the arrest of Jamie Busch, although they did not provide further details.
While the sheriff’s office has not disclosed the cause of death or motive, they have indicated that they believe the incident to be isolated, occurring between family members. Court documents obtained by local media suggest that Jamie Busch may have strangled her sister before disposing of her body in the river and hiding her phones in a dumpster at a Dunkin Donuts.
Sheriff Baxter commended his deputies for their determination and investigative skills, which led to the discovery of Penny’s body and the arrest of her sister. Following the arrest, Jamie Busch was placed on administrative leave from her position at the middle school.
The Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District expressed shock and sadness at the news. Superintendent Gene Mancuso stated that while the district had never faced a situation like this before, he was confident that the community would come together and support each other during this challenging time.
Penny Busch, originally from Schenectady, had spent most of her life in Texas before moving to Monroe County about a year ago. She is survived by two children and her sister, Jamie. Jamie Busch has been charged with second-degree murder and two counts of tampering with physical evidence. She is currently being held at Monroe County Jail without bail.