Penn Hills Murder Suspect Ordered To Stand Trial
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The man charged with killing a man, cutting up his body, putting it in garbage bags and dumping it in a wooded area was in court.
Vito Pelino has been charged in the murder of 24-year-old William King of Penn Hills.
Corey Roberts, the man who says he helped dispose of the body, took the stand. He is charged with abuse of a corpse and conspiracy.
He said he helped Pelino dispose of two garbage bags with the dismembered remains of King. The medical examiner says King was stabbed in the head, neck and trunk.
"He just said he needed help with something. He wouldn't say what," Roberts said, referring to a phone call he says he got from Pelino.
They then went to Pelino's mother's duplex and went into the basement.
"It appeared to be human remains in garbage bags and a lot of blood … I was shocked," Roberts said.
"He said, 'I killed this dude. You gotta help me. We gotta get rid of this,'" Roberts said. "I said, 'OK.'"
According to Robert, it began at the Hula Bar then progressed to Pelino's sister's house in Oakmont where the victim told Pelino he wanted to get with his sister and that set Pelino off.
Neither family would speak with reporters after the gruesome testimony which included the medical examiner's report.
The report said King had more than 50 stab wounds to his body and that he had defensive wounds to his hands.
"I am not aware of any kind of defensive wounds on the hands of the accused in this case," Mark Tranquilli, the prosecutor, said.
Pelino's laywer disagrees and says the defendant did have defensive wounds, but had more questions for Corey Roberts, like why he didn't run when he saw body parts in bags and blood.
"He's been arrested for his involvement in this and now some of his story to me just doesn't add up," Patrick Thomassey, the defense attorney, said.
Pelino was ordered to stand trial. Roberts is out on bond, but has his own hearing March 28.
