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Prosecutor: Suspect's claim that sexual encounter turned deadly isn't true

PITTSBURGH — Prosecutors are now disputing the story of a man who said he stabbed a man to death during a sexual encounter.

In court Wednesday, prosecutors said Timothy Pauley went to that man's house with the intention of killing him.

The defendant gave police conflicting stories when he was initially brought to Allegheny General Hospital with a gunshot wound to the elbow in December, according to court testimony.

Thomas Garner’s last words were played for the judge Wednesday.

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Garner, who had been shot and had his throat slashed, was gasping for air as he repeatedly cried out  "please help me."

Pauley is accused of killing Garner inside his Moon Township home on Dec. 12.

Pauley showed no emotion, not even when one of the victim’s friends yelled "you did this to him."

That man was ordered from the courtroom.

An Allegheny County police detective said Pauley initially lied about his involvement in the stabbing, telling police the gunshot wound to his right arm was from a robbery in Carnegie.

According to the detective, Pauley later changed his story saying he went to the victim's home because he was down on his luck.

He them claimed when the victim offered him money to perform a sex act and he refused, the victim started shooting.

Pauley claims he stabbed victim in self defense.

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The prosecutor said Pauley went to the victim’s house to kill him, telling the judge: "Thomas Garner didn't even know who stabbed him" since he was sleeping and that "he killed him in cold blood."

He also said in court that “the defendant knew he went there to stab the victim and he came up a ridiculous story because everyone knew they were fighting over this girl."

Pauley's lawyer called it self-defense telling the judge: “Mr. Garner started shooting and that's when Mr. Pauley started flailing with the knife" and ''based on the evidence, I ask for a single count of voluntary manslaughter and the murder charge be dismissed."

The judge denied the defense’s request and held Pauley for trial.