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Officials responded to the 300 block of North Walnut Street on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a 911 call at 12:30 p.m. from a man who stated his name and address and immediately hung up, South Heidelberg police said at a press conference Friday afternoon.
South Heidelberg police arrived at the home not long after failed attempts by emergency dispatchers to reconnect with the caller -- later identified as 44-year-old Christopher Baumener -- and were unable to see inside the home since the blinds of every visible window were down, police said.
Police also released drones above the home and were unable to see inside for any possible danger, authorities said.
Police were soon notified by the teen daughters of Baumener's girlfriend, Katrina Henderson, with concerns about their mother since they had not heard from her, police said.
As authorities with the Berks County District Attorney's office worked to get a search warrant for probable cause, South Heidelberg officers moved forward by identifying the cell tower of the last signal Henderson's phone received, which took about 10 hours, police said.
With assistance from PA State Police, investigators took caution by releasing indoor drones through the front door before entering the home of Baumener, as there was a possibility he would be in possession of one or more firearms due to a known assault charge filed against him on May 3, police said.
He was freed on bail after being charged with simple assault, harassment, terroristic threats, and reckless endangerment, against a woman, court records show. It was not made clear if the woman was Henderson, but authorities did note a Protection from Abuse order was dropped against Baumener.
When investigators were able to safely enter the home, they found Baumener and Henderson dead, DA John T. Adams said. The time of death is unknown, but authorities believe they died on Wednesday.
In accordance with the Berks County coroner's office, Henderson's cause of death was confirmed to be blunt force trauma to the head, and Baumener's cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, Adams noted.
Due to apparent tree work and noise from a wood chipper in the area on Wednesday, investigators confirmed no neighbors heard a gunshot from the home.
The case is still under investigation and no further information was immediately available.
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