The body of Jacob Marberger was discovered in a Berks County park after a five-day search for the college sophomore.
An intensive search for 19-year-old Jacob Marberger came to a tragic end Saturday afternoon, when the Cheltenham native’s body was discovered in a Berks County park.
Marberger’s body was discovered inside his family’s green 1997 Land Rover in the picnic area of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. The cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to an official report.
While there has been no word yet from Marberger’s family, a statement on the tragedy was released by his school, Washington College, located in Chestertown, Md.
“It is with great sorrow that we must inform you this evening of the passing of sophomore Jacob Marberger,” the statement began. “We extend our deepest sympathies to the Marberger family in their time of unimaginable grief.
“This is a terrible blow to our community, and the outpouring of compassion and support we have shown each other will help us through this difficult time. We need to continue to be supportive of each other as we mourn individually and as a community.”
It was just three days ago that prayers for Marberger’s safe return were being made during an emotional candlelight vigil at the synagogue where Jacob Marberger was once Bar Mitvahed, a public manifestation of the waiting and worrying at his parents’ Cheltenham home.
That vigil has been going on since 7:30 a.m. Nov. 16, when Marberger, a sophomore at Washington College in Chestertown, Md., was spotted on a security camera at a Hamburg, Pa., Wal-Mart, where he was believed to be buying ammunition for a rifle he allegedly took from his parents’ house. That led to Washington deciding to close the campus and remain shut until after the Thanksgiving break — a 12-day stretch. In the interim, there’s been no contact from the 2014 graduate of Cheltenham High School or activity on his cell phone since he left the Wal-Mart.
Rabbi Robert S. Leib, of Old York Road Temple-Beth Am in Abington, who has known the Marbergers both personally and professionally for 15 years, says he was notified Wednesday afternoon that Jacob’s former middle school teacher, Karen Shaffran, was attempting to organize a candlelight vigil. Others, acting on her behalf, contacted several synagogues in the area before reaching the synagogue, not even aware the Marbergers had been longtime members there until recently.
“We had nothing to do with the vigil, other than hosting it,” Rabbi Leib told the Jewish Exponent. “But we were not prepared to host without the blessing of the Marbergers. I reached out to the family and eventually received approval.”
Not only that, but Jacob’s father, Dr. Jon Marberger, attended the vigil Wednesday night and read a statement urging his son to come home. “You have no reason not to come home,” said Dr, Marberger. “Please come home and show yourself. Jacob, wherever you are, whatever discretions you have done, they are all recoverable.”
On Thursday, Dr. Marberger stopped by his Glenside optometry office and spoke briefly with the Exponent. “All we hope and pray for is the safe return of our son,” he said softly.
“It was quite astounding so many people came on such short notice,” said Rabbi Leib of the previous night’s vigil. “I began the vigil, then Jon read a statement in which he thanked everyone for coming and pleaded for his son to come home.
“Rest assured, the Jacob Marberger we know never has given any indication of being someone who could be a threat to himself or others. He’s always been an outstanding young man.
“I’m still very close to both his parents, even though they’re no longer members here. All I can tell you is how they’re always extolling their love and pride about their son, who’s been a brilliant young man.”
Jeffrey Schwartz, a friend who attended synagogue with Marberger, said he didn’t believe his childhood friend would do anything dangerous.
“Jacob is having some kind of trouble. I just hope he comes home, and he is safe. I hope that he doesn’t do anything regrettable,” said Schwartz, the Reform engagement associate at Cornell University Hillel. “I don’t think that he will. I just hope he comes home safe.”
Chestertown Police Chief Adrian Baker emphasized that the closing of the college was done out of an abundance of caution.
“Let me be clear, at no time has Mr. Marberger made any threats to the college, the community, or anyone,” Baker said in a statement.
But apparently over the last few weeks Jacob Marberger has also been a troubled young man. According to an interview his father gave NBC-10, he was made the recipient of a dorm room prank involving a trash can filled with water that spilled into his room that he didn’t react well to.
Jon Marberger says shortly after that, his son, who had been collecting antique guns over the past year, was drunk when he brandished an unloaded rifle in front of some students. Two weeks later, after police recovered a weapon of his at a house off-campus, he was suspended from school and forced to undergo a forensic psychiatric evaluation.
The psychiatrist allowed him to return to school after determining Jacob did not appear to be a threat to others or to himself,
But when he returned to campus, things began to unravel. Marberger was kicked out of his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. He also had to face a hearing from the Honor Board, followed by a confrontation from the Student Government Association, where he was serving as Speaker of the SGA senate. Following that meeting, Marberger resigned his position, then headed back home, where he reportedly removed a rifle and its case from his father’s collection around 3 a.m. Monday.
He then headed north to the Hamburg Wal-Mart, but hasn’t been heard from since.”
“I believe we did the right thing hosting the vigil,” said Rabbi Leib, who received a text from Jacob’s mother, Debra Marberger, Thursday, expressing her appreciation while she and the Marberger family try to resolve a “web of distortion” concerning her son. “I’m pleased we could help.
“But this has been an awful calamity for this family.”
Suzanne Pollak of the Washington Jewish Week contributed to this story.
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