Inset: Penny Busch, the victim (Facebook). Background: The home in Monroe County, New York, where Busch was killed (WHEC/YouTube).
In a disturbing case from Upstate New York, a woman is facing serious charges after allegedly killing her sister and attempting to conceal the crime.
Jamie Busch has been charged with second-degree murder and evidence tampering in connection with the death of her 62-year-old sister, Penny Busch. The incident occurred in October 2024, with the accused, then aged 53, allegedly committing the crime.
The tragic event unfolded on October 8, 2024, at Penny Busch’s residence on Ontario Street, near the quaint village of Honeoye Falls, New York. According to court documents, a physical confrontation between the sisters escalated, leading to Jamie Busch reportedly strangling her sister to death. This information was disclosed by local NBC affiliate WHEC.
In the early hours of the following day, Jamie Busch allegedly disposed of three cellphones belonging to her sister in a trash bin at a Dunkin’ Donuts in the village. Subsequently, she is said to have moved Penny Busch’s body from the home and discarded it in the Genesee River.
The situation drew the attention of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, which was called to conduct a welfare check at Penny Busch’s eight-acre property on October 11, 2024. Upon investigation, deputies deemed her disappearance suspicious and launched an extensive search operation involving K-9 units and drones.
Just three days later, the investigation led to a focused search along the Genesee River in the Town of Rush, as announced by the sheriff’s office. This effort culminated in the discovery of a body, later confirmed to be that of Penny Busch.
Jamie Busch was arrested for the alleged murder after “investigators established significant evidence and probable cause.” It is not yet clear what evidence authorities are leaning on or what motive they believe led to the alleged killing.
“The motive is something we’re going to keep close to our chest until the district attorney is ready to release that information, but she was murdered,” Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter said at the time.
Jamie Busch, who was a paraprofessional at Honeoye Falls Middle School, was deemed competent to stand trial, WHEC reported. That trial is set to begin on Feb. 3, 2026.
Honeoye Falls is located in Upstate New York, about 18 miles south of Rochester.
