Man To Stand Trial In Pens Game Argument Slaying Case

A South Fayette Township man accused of killing his wife and then setting the house on fire was ordered to stand trial.

Authorities said Robert Abrams killed his wife, Jeanette, early April 23 after she became angry because he stayed up late to watch a Pittsburgh Penguins game that went into triple overtime.

At a preliminary hearing Friday, an Allegheny County homicide detective testified that Abrams said he and his wife began arguing and that she yelled at him for watching the Penguins game that went into the early-morning hours.

Abrams told investigators he got frustrated and pushed his wife into a table and then she came toward him, according to testimony. That's when Abrams said he picked up a hammer, hit her in the head at least 10 times, stabbed her multiple times with a knife and set their Locust Lane house on fire, the detective said.

Abrams still had his hands bandaged Friday.

Patty McCartney, a friend, said Abrams and his wife had a rocky marriage.

“It's just all a bad situation,” she said. “You feel bad that maybe this could have, everything could be prevented maybe if people would intervene. ... Someone should have intervened a long time ago.”

“Domestic violence is something that reaches every household in Allegheny County at one point or another, even talking about it or contemplating it,” Deputy District Attorney Mark Tranquilli said after the hearing. “Many times with domestic violence situations, the smallest things can set people off. “

"The investigation shows that the victim and her husband, Robert Abrams, had an argument that resulted in a physical confrontation with the victim being stabbed multiple times and also hit with a hammer several times," Allegheny County Police Superintendent Charles Moffatt said last week.

Neighbor Ed Haskins told Channel 11 he was at his home just down the street from the fire and rushed to the scene. When he first arrived he said he found Abrams who said he had jumped from the burning home.

"He said he had to punch a window to get out and he thinks the dog knocked the candle over," Haskins said.

Investigators did not believe Abrams story and they said evidence supported their theories.

"She had 10 episodes of blunt force trauma to the head resulting in multiple skull fractures. In addition, she had at least four stab wounds to the chest," said county Medical Examiner Dr. Carl Williams.

Abrams is charged with criminal homicide, arson, reckless endangerment and abuse of a corpse.

The couple lived in the home for the past eight years.

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