Elderly Man Will Stand Trial For Germantown Murder More Than 20 Years Ago
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A 71-year-old man wanted for the murder more than two decades ago of his ex-wife's female lover in a Germantown restaurant was today ordered to stand trial for the 1992 crime.
Authorities believe the defendant, Santiago Pedroso, was on the runs for years and had travelled internationally, making money selling religious items before he was arrested last month in the Philippines.
Investigators say that after his arrest and return to the US last month, Pedroso admitted in a signed statement that he shot and killed murder victim Delores Alvarez because she had taken his wife away from him.
Oddly, Pedroso is claiming self-defense, saying that she fired first.
But, according to authorities, they told him there is no evidence the victim had a gun.
"He was the one who had the motive and the axe to grind, and the hate and the anger, and there was no ballistics evidence suggesting a second gun," says Philadelphia prosecutor Richard Sax. "There's no eyewitness testimony suggesting a second gun."
Investigators says Pedroso's ex-wife and daughter witnessed the murder and the teen, after seeing Alvarez shot, had screamed at Pedroso, "Please don't shoot my mom!"
