Helen Vogt, 77, was killed at Erie townhouse in 1988. Her grandson is now headed to trial

Some of the prospective jurors were likely not even born when the killing took place.

It happened 36 years ago. The dead body of 77-year-old Helen Vogt was found inside her townhouse in the 2800 block of Zimmerman Road in Erie on July 23, 1988.

Blood was strewn throughout the residence on a quiet corner in east Erie, to the rear of where a Walmart is today. Vogt suffered more than 50 stab wounds to her hands, face, neck, chest and back when she was killed on July 22, 1988, Erie police said. She also had been beaten.

More than three decades later, jury selection has started in the trial for the person who police two years ago charged in the killing: Vogt's grandson, Jeremy C. Brock, 57. He was 21 and living in Texas when Vogt was killed.

Police allege that Brock traveled to Erie and murdered Vogt over money.

He was an heir to his grandmother's modest fortune of approximately $358,000 — about $950,000 in today's dollars. And a month before Vogt's death, police allege, Brock wanted his grandmother to increase the allowance of $100 a month that she was giving him — a little over $265 a month in today's dollars.

Investigators used advances in DNA technology to develop new evidence and accuse Brock of first-degree and second-degree murder, robbery, aggravated assault and other counts . He was charged on July 14, 2022, ending the long wait for an arrest in one of Erie's most infamous cold cases.

Jury selection starts in cold case homicide

Once a jury is picked, Brock's trial is expected to last four to five days in the courtroom of Judge Daniel Brabender in Erie County Common Pleas Court.

Jury selection started on Friday. As of Monday, the District Attorney's Office and the defense had picked seven jurors out of 14 — 12 regular jurors and two alternates. Jury selection will extend into Tuesday. Opening statements in the trial are tentatively scheduled for Wednesday morning.

The two top prosecutors in the District Attorney's Office — District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz and First Assistant District Attorney Jessica Reger — are trying the case. A court-appointed lawyer, Jason Nard, of Pittsburgh, is leading the defense.

Brock has pleaded not guilty.

Brock has been held in prison with no bond set since his arrest. He sat at the defense table with his lawyers as they interviewed prospective jurors on Friday. He exchanged his prison uniform for a dark suit, dark tie and white shirt.

Brock helped his lawyers question the prospective jurors.

Search warrant from 1990 proves crucial to probe

Erie police developed Brock as a suspect early in the case.

Police obtained what turned out to be critical evidence in September 1990. They served a search warrant on Brock in Travis County. Texas, which includes Austin, to obtain his handprints and samples of his blood, hair and saliva.

In getting the search warrant, police in an affidavit said they were interested in Brock in relation to his grandmother's death based on the will and the dispute over the amount of his monthly allowance, among other reasons. Police in the affidavit also cited information from confidential sources and alleged Brock has "a prior history of illegal drug use."

The advancements in DNA technology ultimately led police to charge Brock in July 2022, Hirz said in announcing his arrest . Brock's DNA matched the DNA of blood found in Vogt's blood-splattered townhouse, according to the arrest records. The Erie County Coroner's Office determined that she was stabbed 51 times.

In 1988, Brock had been living with his family in Austin, according to court records. He had never lived in Erie but was known to have visited in February 1988, for the funeral of his grandfather and Helen Vogt's husband, Herbert "Hubby" Vogt, 81, a well-known Erie golf pro, according to arrest records.

Police allege that Brock then traveled to Erie in July 1988 and robbed and murdered his grandmother, fled the area and returned to Texas.

Witnesses from past and present to take stand

The witnesses at Brock's trial will be old and new to the case.

One of the key prosecution witnesses, according to the jury questionnaire, is Dominick DiPaolo, 77, who was the lead Erie police detective at the start of the Vogt case. He retired in 2018 as the district judge for Erie's 6th Ward.

Other key prosecution witnesses include the two police investigators who currently assigned the case and who were instrumental in arresting Brock. They are Erie police Detective Sgt. Craig Stoker and Pennsylvania State Police Master Trooper Todd Giliberto. Both specialize in cold cases .

The investigation of Vogt's death spanned the administrations of five district attorneys, including Hirz. In another refkection of the age of the case, she was 16 when Vogt was killed.

Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@timesnews.com or 814-870-1813. Follow him on X @ETNpalattella .

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Helen Vogt, 77, was killed at Erie townhouse in 1988. Her grandson is now headed to trial