Rapoport Preliminary Hearing Continued

The preliminary hearing for David Rapoport, the veterinarian being held for allegedly killing a Lower Macungie Township woman with whom he had a relationship, has been continued until 9:30 a.m. May 12.

The continuance is the second in the case, but appears to have come about because Rapoport switched lawyers. Rapoport informed Lehigh County Court last week that he had dropped attorney Gregory Pagano of Philadelphia and hired John Waldron of Allentown and John Griffin of Philadelphia, according to this report.

Waldron immediately filed for a continuance of Rapoport's preliminary hearing -- which had been scheduled for April 12 -- on charges of homicide and homicide of an unborn fetus, it said. The continuance was confirmed today by an official at Central Court.

Rapoport, 30, a veterinarian in Harleysville, was arrested March 22 and is charged with killing Jennifer L. Snyder, 27.  Snyder was a verterinary technician who worked and lived at Maple Hills Veterinary Hospital along Kressler Road. The two met when Rapoport worked there as well.

The two had a relationship for about three years, and Rapoport, who has been married for about six years, did not take well the news that Snyder was pregnant with his baby, according to court documents.

State police released a missing person's alert regarding Snyder on March 17. The bulletin listed her as "endangered." She was last seen about 11:30 a.m. the day before, police said.

A body was found March 18 in a wooded area near Trexler Nature Preserve in North Whitehall Township and later identified as Snyder's, police have said.

Court records reveal investigators' allegations a follows:

Rapoport texted Snyder to meet him at a "surprise" location on March 16. A surveillance camera showed Snyder and Rapoport together on that date at Sam's Bagel and Deli, 4041 Route 309 in North Whitehall.

Rapoport shot Snyder in her vehicle that same night, wrapped her in a blanket, poured bleach on it, wrapped her in garbage bags and sealed it with duct tape. He then dumped her body near the nature preserve.

Snyder's vehicle was found March 17 in a rear parking lot of a professional building about two miles from where her body would eventually be found, police have said.

Court records also have said Rapoport purchased a 9-mm handgun on March 11 and he bought cleaning supplies hours before meeting Snyder on March 16. Ballistics tests matched the casings found in Snyder's vehicle and near her body to the gun of Rapoport.

A preliminary hearing is a proceeding held to determine whether probable cause exists to bring a defendant to trial. Rapoport has been held without bail.