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Prosecutors: Man Baked Cookies For 97-Year-Old Bedridden Woman, Adult Son Before Killing Them

PALMER, Pa. (CBS/AP) — Authorities allege that a man baked cookies and took them to the home of a 97-year-old bedridden woman before killing her and her adult son and setting fire to their Northampton County, Pennsylvania home earlier this year. Thirty-seven-year-old Drew Rose was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on charges of homicide, arson and burglary in the Jan. 3 slayings of Virginia Houck and 61-year-old Roger Houck.

Prosecutors allege that Rose needed rent money and hatched a robbery scheme. A detective testified that his ex-girlfriend told a grand jury that he brought cookies to the Palmer Township home, saying he was a family friend, before killing the victims.

During cross-examination, the detective said he didn't interview the ex-girlfriend, and an officer said he couldn't confirm Rose was in a car spotted in the area.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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