Judge Accepts Guilty Plea From Man Accused Of Strangling Wife
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A Wilkinsburg man accused of strangling his wife in 2016 pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree murder in court Monday morning.
Richard Katilius, 64, is charged with criminal homicide in the March 2016 death of 63-year-old Linda Katilius at their home on Old Gate Road.
She was found dead on the second floor in a guest bedroom.
State police later arrested Richard Katilius in Cabot, Butler County, at the home of his sister and brother-in-law.
According to the criminal complaint, Katilius reportedly told police he had been drinking red wine and choked his wife.
The prosecution read part of the complaint in court, noting Katilius said his wife's death was not intentional and "nothing really snapped inside him," he said "he just did it" and "he does not remember why."
Had the case gone to trial, the prosecution told the court they would have called witnesses to testify that Katilius called his brother-in-law in Butler County the morning of the murder and told him he was headed to his home to drop off the dog because he had just killed his wife.
The prosecution also said there were witnesses who could testify that Katilius called his wife's job, reporting that she would not be coming in that day, nor ever again. He reportedly also called his job and said he would not be in and things were looking bad.
NOW: A judge accepts a guilty plea from Richard Katilius, a Wilkinsburg man accused of strangling his wife to death in 2016. He's charged with criminal homicide. Sentencing is scheduled for July 30th. #KDKA
— Lisa Washington (@LisaWashing) May 6, 2019
Katilitus's sentencing is scheduled for July 30. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail and a fine of $25,000.
