Death penalty to be sought in beating death of elderly man
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Prosecutors say they plan to seek the death penalty against a man charged in the beating death of an elderly man in his home.
The Allegheny County district attorney’s office said on its Facebook page that capital punishment will be sought if 25-year-old Branden Frazier is convicted of first-degree murder in the death of 73-year-old Benito Nicoletti.
Authorities allege that Frazier beat Nicoletti to death in his McKees Rocks home and then stole the victim’s car. Prosecutors said Friday that the death penalty would be warranted because Nicoletti was killed during the commission of another felony.
Frazier’s attorney didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment Saturday.