Police Charge Husband With Choking His Wife In Wilkinsburg Home
WILKINSBURG (KDKA) – A man is now facing charges after his wife was found dead Wednesday morning in their Wilkinsburg home.
According to officials at the scene, Wilkinsburg Police were initially called to a home in the 1000 block of Old Gate Road around 4 a.m.
"[At 4:10 a.m.], the Wilkinsburg Police Department received a phone call from a family member of the residents, asking to check on the welfare of the female occupant," Allegheny County Police Lt. Andrew Schurman said.
When officers arrived, they had to force their way into the home and found 63-year-old Linda Katilius dead on the second floor in a guest bedroom.
Later in the morning, her husband, 60-year-old Richard Katilius, was picked up by state police in Butler County. He was then brought to Allegheny County Police headquarters where he was questioned for hours in connection with her death.
Wilkinsburg Neighbors: This is the 63 yr old woman who was found dead. Husband being questioned in connection to it pic.twitter.com/mZQG65AAsN
— Christine D'Antonio (@Cdantoniopgh) March 23, 2016
Just before 2 p.m., Richard Katilius was taken to the Allegheny County Jail. He's facing a criminal homicide charge.
According to the criminal complaint, he told detectives he allegedly choked his wife and that her death was not intentional.
He said he had been drinking red wine Tuesday night, and "nothing really snapped inside him," he said "he just did it" and "he does not remember why," the criminal complaint goes on to say.
"We're stunned. Sickened about the whole thing they were wonderful people," Andrea Shields said.
Shields has lived in the Blackridge community for 30 years. She said the tight-knit community never saw this coming.
"He was a church guy. He drove a school bus and we're speechless we really are," she said. "I would've let him stay in my house, trusted him with everything I own. What happened to him will be a mystery. Maybe he'll have an answer for everyone."
Richard Katilius was found by state police troopers in Cabot, Butler County, at the home of his sister and brother-in-law.
The criminal complaint says he told them, "It's bad; it's really bad. I killed Linda."
According to police, he had taken his dog to their home after calling them and saying "he had just killed Linda." They, in turn, called 911 requesting a welfare check at the Wilkinsburg home.
An autopsy was done on Linda Katilius' body Wednesday. According to the criminal complaint, her cause of dead has been ruled manual strangulation and the manner of death was ruled as a homicide.
According to neighbors, the couple had no children.
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