Jose Diaz, alleged killer of Villanova prof, held on murder charges

Carol Ambruster

New details emerged in the violent death of a Villanova professor at her alleged killer’s preliminary hearing this morning.

Jose Diaz, 42, is accused of stabbing Carol Ambruster to death inside her Germantown apartment on Dec. 9 and stealing the contents of her purse, Newsworks reported.

Diaz, who reportedly worked at Ambruster’s apartment building as a handyman, was identified in part based on blood found on his boots that DNA tests allegedly showed to be that of Ambruster.

Ambruster, who taught at Villanova in the astrophysics department from 1987 to 2011, was a recent retiree who colleagues remembered fondly.

Diaz will be arraigned on murder charges April 15.