Death penalty ruled out in 2007 Donora murders [The Valley Independent, Monessen, Pa.]

Jan. 18--WASHINGTON, Pa. -- A Donora man charged with a grisly 2007 double-murder in the borough will not face the death penalty when his trial begins next month.

The Washington County District Attorney's office said it will not seek the death penalty against Eugene Joseph Nagy, 30, of 90 Kenric Ave., in connection with the beating deaths of Vince William Trotta and Yvonne M. Helton.

Previously, the DA's office had planned to seek the death penalty and had filed a notice of three aggravated circumstances that it would present to a jury during the trial, which is scheduled to start Feb. 1 before President Judge Debbie O'Dell Seneca.

But Assistant District Attorney Mike Lucas, who will prosecute the case, said the prosecution filed a notice in December withdrawing the aggravating circumstances.

"I can't go into specific detail and there are reasons for that," said Lucas.

"Under Pennsylvania law, not every murder case qualifies for the death penalty."

Trotta and Helton were found dead inside Trotta's second-floor apartment at 1025 Meldon Ave. on Sept. 11, 2007.

They had both been beaten to death and $1,915 was missing from the apartment, which was above Phat Dawg's Bar.

Nagy was arrested Oct. 30, 2007, while working on a roofing job in East Liberty and charged with two counts of criminal homicide and one count each of robbery, theft, and tampering with evidence.

Lucas said that the decision to withdraw the aggravating circumstances against Nagy made after discussing the situation with state police investigators and relatives of the victims.

Nagy was interviewed by state police shortly after the victims' nude bodies were discovered.

Nagy said he and Trotta were friends and that he occasionally helped Trotta with contracting side jobs, according to the affidavit.

Nagy said Trotta stopped by his residence Sept. 10 at about 3:30 p.m. and paid him $90 he had owed him for work.

Around 6 or 6:30 p.m., Nagy said, Trotta invited him to "party" at his apartment that night, according court records.

Around 10 p.m., the two men picked up Helton at Chubb's Pub Bar and went back to Trotta's apartment.

Nagy told police he remained at the apartment for about two hours, leaving just before midnight.

Trotta and Helton were still at the apartment when he left, Nagy claimed.

The next day, Nagy was interviewed by state police again, this time admitting to snorting cocaine with Trotta on the evening of Sept. 10.

Nagy said he was aware that Trotta had cashed a large check on Sept. 10, but did not know exactly how much the check was worth, according to the affidavit.

Police asked Nagy to provide the clothing that he was wearing Sept. 10, but surveillance video obtained from that night showed the suspect was wearing different clothing than the clothing he provided to troopers.

He has been lodged in the Washington County Correctional facility since his arrest.

Jeff Pikulsky can be reached at [email protected] or 724-684-2635.

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