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South Fayette man convicted of killing wife in 2010
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A jury found a South Fayette man guilty of first-degree murder Tuesday in the beating and stabbing death of his wife two years ago.
Robert Abrams, 42, also was convicted of arson, endangering, and recklessly endangering another person, stemming from the incident on April 23, 2010.
The jury of six men and six women deliberated less than an hour.
According to Deputy District Attorney David Spurgeon, Mr. Abrams got into an argument with his wife, Jeannette, early that morning when she complained to him that he had time to watch Penguins playoff hockey but not to get a job.
The prosecution said that Mr. Abrams pushed his wife down, and when she got back up and continued arguing with him, he grabbed a hammer off a dresser in the bedroom and struck her more than 10 times in the head. When she continued to fight, he stabbed her repeatedly in the chest with a steak knife.
After the woman died, Mr. Abrams set their house on fire, intending to commit suicide, though he changed his mind and fled through a bathroom window, police said.
An Allegheny County detective testified that Mr. Abrams confessed while at the hospital for treatment a few hours later.
The defense argued that the confession should not stand because Mr. Abrams was under the influence of pain medication at the time.
Mr. Abrams faces a mandatory prison term of life in prison without parole. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Donald E. Machen ordered a pre-sentence report and said sentencing will be held in 90 days.
First Published June 27, 2012 12:31 am
