SUMMERHILL TOWNSHIP, CAMBRIA COUNTY--- Cambria County District Attorney Kelly Callihan will have to decide if she will seek the death penalty against Gregory Conzo.
The 50-year old was charged with the murder of 37-year old Michael Pcola on Tuesday November 27, 2012. Police said Conzo got into an argument inside of a home on Sierra Street in Summerhill Township back on November 5, 2012.
"The defendant was facing a sentencing hearing the following morning," said Callihan. "They began to argue and it escalated to this."
Pcola was hit in the head with a baseball bat and died a few days later from blunt force trauma to the head.
"The injury sustained is called a defused injury," said Cambria County Coroner Dennis Kwiatkowski. "The force from the bat caused more internal injuries instead of the outward ones you typically see."
Conzo was found hiding a few streets the away from the crime scene shortly after the assault.
"We have recovered the bat, it was with Conzo when he was taken into custody," said arresting officer Donald Wyar with the Summerhill Township Police Department.
"There has been a long history of altercations between all of the parties involved," said Summerhill Township Police Chief Paul Bonfanti. "This shows domestic violence can lead to worse situations and unfortunately it did in this case."
"He didn't deserve to die this way," said John Plummer, friend and neighbor of Pcola. "I was devastated."
Plummer said he was close with the victim and the two used to play guitar together.
"Mike was like my son- I mentored him when I moved back here," said Plummer. "I still can't believe he is gone, I miss him greatly... I keep hoping I will wake up and this will all just be a dream."
Conzo will remain the Cambria County Jail charged with murder, assault and several other criminal offenses.
The 50-year old was charged with the murder of 37-year old Michael Pcola on Tuesday November 27, 2012. Police said Conzo got into an argument inside of a home on Sierra Street in Summerhill Township back on November 5, 2012.
"The defendant was facing a sentencing hearing the following morning," said Callihan. "They began to argue and it escalated to this."
Pcola was hit in the head with a baseball bat and died a few days later from blunt force trauma to the head.
"The injury sustained is called a defused injury," said Cambria County Coroner Dennis Kwiatkowski. "The force from the bat caused more internal injuries instead of the outward ones you typically see."
Conzo was found hiding a few streets the away from the crime scene shortly after the assault.
"We have recovered the bat, it was with Conzo when he was taken into custody," said arresting officer Donald Wyar with the Summerhill Township Police Department.
"There has been a long history of altercations between all of the parties involved," said Summerhill Township Police Chief Paul Bonfanti. "This shows domestic violence can lead to worse situations and unfortunately it did in this case."
"He didn't deserve to die this way," said John Plummer, friend and neighbor of Pcola. "I was devastated."
Plummer said he was close with the victim and the two used to play guitar together.
"Mike was like my son- I mentored him when I moved back here," said Plummer. "I still can't believe he is gone, I miss him greatly... I keep hoping I will wake up and this will all just be a dream."
Conzo will remain the Cambria County Jail charged with murder, assault and several other criminal offenses.
