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S. Fayette man found guilty in death of his wife
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A jury found a South Fayette man guilty of first-degree murder this afternoon in the beating and stabbing death of his wife two years ago.
Robert Abrams, 42, was also convicted of arson and recklessly endangering another person, stemming from the incident on April 23, 2010.
According to Deputy District Attorney David Spurgeon, Mr. Abrams got into an argument with his wife, Jeannette Abrams, 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 homicide detective testified that Mr. Abrams confessed while at the hospital for treatment a few hours later.
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 26, 2012 5:13 pm
