Retired NYPD Transit Cop Arraigned On Murder Charge In Death Of Wife On Long Island
LAKE GROVE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A former New York City transit police officer accused of murdering his wife was arraigned in court Wednesday.
Prosecutors painted a very violent picture of Paul Leitgeb, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported.
The former transit cop is accused of first hitting his wife, Tricia Odierna, with a baseball bat, then strangling her and leaving her dead on the couple's bed inside their Lake Grove, Long Island home.
Odierna's body was discovered by her nephew on Oct. 1. Family and friends described the real estate agent as the loving mother of 7-year-old twins, who had also taken in three nephews after the death of one of her sisters.
Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Glenn Kurtzrock said after Leitgeb killed his wife he tried to hide in upstate New York.
"He was found several days later, a few miles off the Appalachian Trail in Pawling, New York and he was arrested at that time," said Kurtzrock. "He gave a full confession to Suffolk County homicide detectives.
Leitgeb is charged with second-degree murder. Kurtzrock would not comment on a motive for the crime.
Although Leitgeb's lawyer said his client worked for two decades for the NYPD before he retired, the judge considered the 49-year-old a flight risk and ordered him held without bail, Hall reported.