Arrest Made In 3-Year-Old Murder Case In Kennedy Township

Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter

KENNEDY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) – An arrest was being made Thursday in a murder case that is three years old.

Stephen Day will be charged with criminal homicide and other counts.

The victim, 81-year-old Thomas Nicholson from Kennedy Township died from assault – compression of the windpipe and chemical burns. Court papers revealed that Nicholson had been tied up with an extension cord and belt, and burned with bleach.

At the time, neighbors speculated about a possible motive.

"I do understand from one of the neighbors that he would tell a lot of people that when his wife died from cancer a few years ago she left him a lot of money," one neighbor said. "And I heard this from another neighbor that he would brag about money and didn't know what he was going to do with all of it."

In fact, according to court paperwork, it was rumored that Nicholson had gold bars in his basement. Those same papers revealed that Day allegedly admitted to police that he burglarized Nicholson's home and that one of his fellow burglars talked about going back for more.

At first, Day said he had nothing to do with the murder, but then later admitted, according to papers, that he was there and could hear a struggle.

Police said that Day also mentioned the use of bleach, something investigators hadn't released.

Day was already being held in the Allegheny County Jail on unrelated charges.

As for Nicholson, what neighbors said three years ago is just as true today.

I can't see why someone has to murder an old man."