Man accused of killing, burying girlfriend skips trial, pleads no contest

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – by Torsten Ove

Ten jurors had been chosen to hear the case Tuesday of George Biegenwald, accused of killing one girlfriend and trying to kill another while the body of the first was still in his beer refrigerator, but he chose to enter a plea at the last minute.

Biegenwald, 58, of Shaler, pleaded no contest to third-degree homicide and related offenses in the 2015 death of Donna See, whose body he stuffed into the refrigerator and then buried, and an assault on Patricia Johnston, another girlfriend he’d met online.  

“I wish it never happened, but it did,” he said as he stood in handcuffs before a judge. “Sorry.”

Allegheny County Common Please Judge Jill Rangos immediately sentenced him to 20 to 40 years in prison.

Biegenwald, a laborer with an alcohol problem, was set to go on trial in the death of Ms. See, whose body was discovered in a shallow grave on Biegenweld’s neighbor’s property on Clifton Avenue.

The jury would have also heard evidence in a second case of attempted homicide of Ms. Johnston, whom the prosecution said Biegenwald attacked in his house while Ms. See’s body was in the house.

In addition, the district attorney’s office would have presented evidence from a third victim, Patricia Kralik, who said she was assaulted at Biegenwald’s home as well in 2010. Police investigating the See murder found her cell phone on his property.

Biegenwald’s lawyer, Phil DiLucente, said his client wanted to plead to spare his grandson and daughter from further distress over being associated with him.

“He regrets what happened that day,” he said, blaming part of Biegenwald’s conduct on alcoholism.

County police said Biegenwald went on a date with Ms. Johnston on Aug. 24, after which he attacked her and kept her captive in his house. Ms. See, 50, was already dead at that point. She had been reported missing Aug. 14.

Biegenwald told detectives that he and Ms. See had argued and got into a fight during which she jumped on his back. He said he flung her off and her head hit a dresser, killing her. He stored her body in her car for a while, then moved it to the beer fridge while he dug a grave on his neighbor’s property.

Torsten Ove: tove@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1504.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/north/2016/03/29/George-Biegenwald-of-Shaler-who-is-accused-of-killing-and-burying-his-girlfriend-skips-trial-and-pleads-guilty-to-killing-Donna-See/stories/201603290156