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Weakley Confesses, Will Tesitfy Against Hugo Selenski
Weakley Confesses, Will Tesitfy Against Hugo Selenski - Friday, January 25, 2008 at 10:26PM EST
Reported by: Jill Konopka
Friday, Jan 25, 2008 @10:26pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- There was a dramatic turn of events Friday in a high profile double murder case in Luzerne County. The case has captured national attention and centers around the prosecution of Hugo Selenski.
Another major player in the case, Paul Weakley, confessed to murders, avoiding the death penalty. The 38-year-old now admits to killing Michael Kerkowski and Tammy Fasset. But says he did not act alone.
Luzerne County District Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll said, "Today is as significant a day as June 5th, 2003, which was the day the bodies of Tammy and Mike were discovered buried on the property of Hugo Selenski."
After six long years, the families of murder victims Michael Kerkowski and Tammy Fassett are finally getting some answers. "For the first time they had the opportunity to hear someone standup before the judge, raise his right hand and admit he took part in the killings of their loved ones,” added Musto Carroll.
In federal court Friday the Luzerne County D.A.’s office dropped murder charges against Paul Weakly in exchange for his guilty plea to a rico conspiracy charge.
Under oath Weakley confessed to prison drug trafficking, the robbery and murders of Michael Kerkowski and Tammy Fassett and weapons, arson and burglary charges.
Weakley now avoids a death sentence. Instead he'll serve life in prison in exchange for testifying against his alleged co-conspirator, Hugo Selenski. ‘Paul Weakley has agreed to cooperate in the prosecution of Hugo Selenski and included his admission he and Hugo robbed, tortured and murdered these individuals,” state Musto Carroll.
It’s a crack in a case that's also been under investigation for years by the State Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Tony Robbins of the ATF said, “There were several burglaries committed, firearms stolen. These guns were put out on the streets, some were traded for drugs, narcotics, in cites around the area."
Both men are still locked up. Weakley’s in federal prison and Hugo is in the hands of the state, waiting for a date for his double murder trial to start.
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