GUILTY PA - Michael Kerkowski, 37, & Tammy Fassett, 36, murdered, Kingston, 3 May 2002

[OkieGranny]

http://www.timesleader.com/news/home_top-local-news-news/151794508/

Jurors in Luzerne County on Wednesday night found Selenski, 41, guilty of first-degree murder in the May 3, 2002, flex-tie strangulation killings of Michael J. Kerkowski and Tammy Lynn Fassett.

Judge Fred A. Pierantoni III scheduled the trial's penalty phase — in which prosecutors will seek to convince the jury that Selenski deserves to die for his crimes — to begin at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.timesleader.com/news/breaking_news-local-news/151816920/

Convicted killer Hugo Selenski’s brother, Ronald Selenski Jr, 34, was arraigned Thursday morning on charges he threatened the families of the homicide victims and a Luzerne County detective.

Ronald Selenski was charged by the county Sheriff’s Department with three counts of terroristic threats and a single count of disorderly conduct. He was released without bail...

After the verdict was announced and families exited the courtroom, Ronald Selenski allegedly rushed out of the courtroom and to the elevator on the third floor of the courthouse. Standing a few feet away in front of the still-open elevator doors, Ronald Selenski pointed to his eyes with his index and middle fingers and then pointed at someone inside the elevator - a motion that has commonly been interpreted as meaning, ‘I’m watching you” or “I’ll be watching you.” County Det. Charles Balogh, who was on the elevator with the Kerkowski family, shouted, “Get the hell out of here.”

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/eba89911803c4be8844f6b569fe493e4/US--Bodies-Unearthed/

A jury on Wednesday spared the life of a man convicted of strangling a pharmacist and his girlfriend in 2002 and burying their bodies in his yard, granting a defense request to show mercy despite the brutal nature of the crimes...

Selenski showed no reaction to the jury's decision, which means he will serve life without parole. He will be formally sentenced next month.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://citizensvoice.com/news/state-homicide-charges-dropped-against-weakley-1.1837659

State homicide charges were dismissed Monday against Paul Weakley, the man previously convicted of plotting with Hugo Selenski to rob and murder two people.

Weakley, 45, previously pleaded guilty to federal racketeering charges for the robbery and murders and is serving life in federal prison. Under a plea deal with prosecutors, Weakley’s cooperation in Selenski’s double-murder trial would earn him dismissal of the state charges, as well as the district attorney’s office putting in a good word for him if he were to request a new sentencing hearing in federal court.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Selenski testifies to reasons for new homicide trial | Times Leader

Selenski is seeking a new trial claiming ineffective assistance of his trial lawyers, Bernard Brown and Edward J. Rymsza, for failing to call certain witnesses and failing to deal with witnesses who testified during his 2015 trial.

A jury convicted Selenski in the May 2, 2002, strangulation deaths of Michael J. Kerkowski and Tammy Lynn Fassett at Kerkowski’s residence in Hunlock Township. Their bodies were discovered June 5, 2003, from a shallow grave outside a home on Mount Olivet Road in Kingston Township.

Selenski, sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison, was the only witness to testify Wednesday, recalling numerous meetings with Brown and Rymsza to review thousands of pages of documents accumulated during the 12 year investigation.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Court rejects Selenski’s appeal for new trial