A Penn Township man was sentenced to life in prison plus five to 10 years of incarceration after he pleaded guilty yesterday to murdering his wife by strangling her to death in 2024.

In imposing the sentence on July 23, Judge Jeffrey Conrad told Matthew Scott Harrison, 49, that he “had a duty to love, honor and protect” his wife, but instead acted with malice and hatred and committed “one of the most cowardly acts a man can do” by killing a woman.

Harrison pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of first-degree murder and strangulation for strangling his wife, 49-year-old Jami Harrison, to death at their residence in the 2200 block of East Mount Hope Road on Feb. 5, 2024.

Before one of Jami’s daughters began her victim impact statement she turned directly to Harrison and called him “a coward.” She then explained to the court that she and her sisters had hoped Harrison could be a father figure to them, but that he instead turned out to be “not the best example of a man” and was abusive toward Jami.

And while Harrison’s intent to kill her mother was “clearly” planned, she said, he gave no consideration to the impact Jami’s death would have on her family, including her 11-year-old sister who discovered Jami’s body later in the day.

Another one of Jami’s daughters told the court that Jami was “our only true parent” but that Harrison “stole that from us.”

Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick, who prosecuted the case alongside Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Ponessa, read to the court a list of vulgar and degrading text messages Harrison had sent Jami in the days before he killed her – each of them among some 120 such messages Harrison had sent her during that period. Harrison had also sent numerous texts to family members and co-workers indicating he had murderous intent towards his wife, and later, that he had killed her.

After Harrison was arrested he told investigators he believed Jami wanted him to kill her “so she could stop being a whore,” adding that he believed he had “set her free,” Haverstick told the court.

When given the opportunity to explain his actions, Harrison told the court there was “no reason for me to stand here and elaborate” further because he was already submitting a guilty plea, though he later said he was sorry for his actions but that there was nothing he could say to help the situation.

As Judge Conrad handed down the sentence Harrison interjected, saying he didn’t act out of malice towards his wife and is “not a coward” because he did what he portrayed as a courageous act in pleading guilty.

As part of his sentence, Harrison will also have to pay $6,500 in restitution.

Northern Lancaster County Regional Police officers Matthew Hinkle and Teresa Stauffer filed the charges.