Pittsburgh Jewish Sister Susan and Sarah Wolfe, Murdered

Two sisters of an Iowa state representative were found dead Friday at their suburban Pittsburgh home.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the sisters of State Rep. Mary Wolfe – Susan Wolfe, 44, and Sarah Wolfe, 38 – were pronounced dead at 1:48 p.m. from apparent gunshot wounds in their basement on Chislett Street in East Liberty, Penn.

Wolfe, of Clinton, represents District 98 in the Legislature, which covers Clinton, Andover, Goose Lake and Charlotte.

“Right this minute, we’re still trying to figure out what happened,” Wolfe told the Gazette on Friday.

“They were both incredible people, and we would like their friends and colleagues to know a little bit more about them and how much we appreciate their thoughts and wishes.”

Earlier that day, Wolfe attended a town hall meeting with Sens. Rita Hart, Steve Dotzler, Steve Sodders and Rep. Steve Olson. Hart said Wolfe learned the tragic news shortly after the meeting, and called her around 4:30 p.m.

“Everyone is extremely empathetic to the Wolfe family, and it's just a horrible tragedy,” Hart said on Saturday, calling Wolfe a close friend. “We'll do everything we can to support her.”

Pittsburgh Police Lt. Daniel Hermann said Friday that authorities are conducting an active investigation, according to the Gazette. On early Saturday morning, police found a car connected with the crime. The car is believed to belong to one of the sisters.

Susan and Sarah Wolfe recently moved to the Pennsylvania home, Olson said. Susan worked as a teacher’s aide and Sarah was a pediatrician and psychiatrist.

The Gazette reported police found the bodies after a friend let authorities into the sisters’ home. A concerned co-worker of Susan Wolfe summoned police to check on her well-being.

Olson said he found out shortly after Hart and spent the past two days notifying fellow legislators of the news.

“This is more drastic than anything we’ve had in the past,” he said Saturday.

Olson added state leaders have reached out to the Wolfe family offering their condolences.

Hart said word has spread quickly within the Legislature.