DEATHWATCH: Stephen Treiber, Just Received The DP

[Bill Schenley]

ERIE, Pa. (AP) -

A man was sentenced to death Tuesday for killing his
2-year-old daughter by setting his house on fire. Prosecutors
said he wanted to get out of paying $250 a month in child
support.

Stephen Treiber, 33, of Millcreek Township, showed no
emotion as the sentence was read. Jurors deliberated for
less than two hours.

The same panel convicted Treiber on Monday of first-degree
murder, arson and reckless endangerment.

Jessica Treiber died of smoke inhalation in the fire at her
father's home last year. Prosecutor Anthony Krastek said
Treiber planned the fire for weeks and bought bales of straw
and two gas cans to start the blaze.

Defense attorney Tim Lucas said his client didn't set the fire
and could afford the child support payments, which he had
been making before Jessica's death.

[Treiber had six other properties that burned down
under very suspicious circumstances]

Lucas also said Treiber tried to save his daughter but couldn't
reach her as she slept in a second-floor bedroom.

[Lucas said that ... but not the witnesses. Treiber's
girlfriend testified he got his dogs out ... but made
no attempt to save his daughter.]

Bizarre local case ... Treiber's mother went on trial first ... for
soliciting someone to kill another witness against her son
(Treiber's girlfriend's son). She was found not guilty.

[Chuck Bridgeland]

On Wed, 9 Oct 2002 02:27:37 -0400, Bill Schenley <stra...@erie.net> wrote:
> ERIE, Pa. (AP) -
>
> A man was sentenced to death Tuesday for killing his
> 2-year-old daughter by setting his house on fire. Prosecutors
> said he wanted to get out of paying $250 a month in child
> support.
>
> Stephen Treiber, 33, of Millcreek Township, showed no

> emotion as the sentence was read. Jurors deliberated for
> less than two hours.
>
> The same panel convicted Treiber on Monday of first-degree
> murder, arson and reckless endangerment.
>
> Jessica Treiber died of smoke inhalation in the fire at her
> father's home last year. Prosecutor Anthony Krastek said
> Treiber planned the fire for weeks and bought bales of straw
> and two gas cans to start the blaze.
>

Nothing subtle about this boy.

--
"Terror, surprise, reflection . . . . for the future." --Kosh
Chuck Bridgeland, chuckbri at computerdyn dot com