Admitted accomplices will testify this week against an accused gunman when his trial begins in the robbery and slayings of a re-tired police chief and his wife in their Washington County home.

Washington County District Attorney Steven Toprani is seeking the death penalty against Gerald L. Szakal Jr., 26, of Rostraver, for the slayings March 4, 2008, of retired Carroll Police Chief Howard Springer and his wife, Nancy. Opening statements are to begin tomorrow.

Police said Mr. Szakal was a customer of a precious-metals business operated by the Springers in their home in Carroll.

They contend that he stole 37 pieces of jewelry and a rare coin collection valued at $15,000 from his mother's home and sold it to the Springers in early 2008.

Police said that to hide his theft, recover his mother's items and rob the Springers, Mr. Szakal obtained a handgun with help from three former co-defendants and fatally shot the couple.

The Springers were found dead by their daughter, who went to their home because they didn't answer her telephone calls. Both had been shot in the face. Mrs. Springer also had injuries indicating she'd been kicked and stomped.

Mr. Springer, 63, had retired from the Carroll police force in 2000 and pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his use of video poker machines at a township deli. Mrs. Springer, 65, was a retired elementary teacher with the Ringgold School District.

The Springers lived next door to Mr. Toprani's parents. Mr. Springer also supported the campaign of Mr. Toprani, who will not personally handle the case for those reasons.

Police said "meticulous" business records kept by Mr. Springer led them to Mr. Szakal.

When Mr. Szakal was arrested several days after the slayings, authorities said he confessed to robbing and killing the Springers and splitting about $6,500 in robbery proceeds with his accomplices. Investigators said the others also helped him cover up the crime by disposing of his bloody clothes in the Monongahela River.

But, Mr. Szakal's lawyers, Noah Geary and Erin Dickerson, said they will challenge that confession in court. Mr. Geary said he believes police obtained a false confession from his client, who was interrogated for more than eight hours after his arrest without a lawyer present.

Mr. Geary tried unsuccessfully to persuade Washington County President Judge Debbie O'Dell Seneca to throw out the confession. She ruled that prosecutors could use the 15-minute, audiotaped statement from Mr. Szakal, but Mr. Geary said he is not discouraged.

"I feel very good about it," he said of the case. "I'm very eager to open [tomorrow] morning."

Mr. Szakal's co-defendants were Justin J. Welch, 22, and Gregory Monya Carpenter, 54, both of Charleroi, and Tecko D. Tartt, 23, of Donora. Mr. Tartt, who was charged with homicide, pleaded guilty in April to robbery and conspiracy. He acknowledged providing the handgun that was used in the slayings, which has not been recovered.

Mr. Welch pleaded guilty to conspiracy for obtaining the gun from Mr. Tartt and giving it to Mr. Szakal. Mr. Carpenter, who was charged with conspiracy, receiving stolen property and tampering with evidence, pleaded guilty in August. They will be sentenced after they testify.