Eva Senora Wiest

Exploring history’s mysteries, one leaf at a time.

From the minute I first heard Eva’s story, I wanted to know more. That is the real reason that I started this blog, to tell her story. Eva died by suicide. At least that’s what her husband said. That is the official cause of death listed on her death certificate. However, the more I think about the story, the less convinced I am. I never met Eva, but my grandmother would tell me that I looked like her sister who died. When I would ask more about her she would just say that she killed herself and that was the end of the discussion. It wasn’t until many years later, that I heard the story of her death.

Eva was born in 1915 on a farm in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania to John Schoffstall and his wife Lillian (Willier) Schoffstall. She was the second daughter born to the couple. She grew up on a farm, one of nine children. In March of 1936 she married Blair Wiest and that is where the story takes a turn. It seems that Blair was a philanderer and Eva and Blair were prone to arguing.

On the day after Christmas in 1951, the Schoffstall family gathered at the home of Eva and Blair. Eva’s parents as well as her brothers and sisters and their families were there. An argument started between the couple and they left the house and took their argument out to their barn. Just after 2:30 p.m., the family gathered in the house thought that they heard a gunshot. Minutes later, Blair returned to the house and told those gathered that Eva had committed suicide.

The state troopers were called and it was determined that the cause of death was a bullet wound to the forehead from a .22 caliber bullet. These types of bullets are used as ammunition in rifles. Immediately, I was suspicious. I did not know Eva, but in general, the members of my family are not long armed individuals. I’m not saying it was impossible, but it seemed improbable that she was able to shoot herself in the forehead with a rifle.

Talking to two of her sisters who were there that day, they expressed that they always thought that Eva’s husband had murdered her. When I asked them why they didn’t tell the police that at the time, they said they didn’t want her son to grow up with neither of his parents around. At the time of her death, Eva’s son was 13 years old. Would a mother willingly leave her 13 year old son?

Blair provided all of the information to the police and the coroner as he was the only witness to what occurred. Was he telling the truth or covering up his crime?

At this point, I was left to ponder this story and what might have happened in the barn that day. I thought about Eva. If she did commit suicide, why would she have chosen that day with her family gathered in her home? How badly must she have been hurting to leave her son behind? Mental health was not something that was talked about in that time period. Might she have been suffering in silence? Had she contemplated suicide before? There are endless questions with no answers.

They were in the midst of an argument in the barn. That could lead someone to want to commit suicide if they saw no way out, but murder of one of the participants is just as likely in that scenario. I have not had a chance to talk to those who knew her to see if the relationship between Eva and Blair had ever turned violent, but I plan to follow up with more questions about their relationship and Eva’s life. If the fights often turned violent, that puts a whole new spin on what might have happened.

We will never know for sure what happened in a rural Pennsylvania barn on that day after Christmas 1951. There was only one witness and he took the answers with him to the grave. But, I feel that there is adequate reason to be suspicious. Was it suicide or murder? I’ll keep investigating, but in the meantime, you be the judge.