A woman and her boyfriend have been convicted of murder after her grandmother died of a heart attack following a home invasion in the victim's eastern Pennsylvania home.
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Jurors in Northampton County deliberated for about four hours before convicting Rebecca Johnson, 29, and Rogel Suero, 31, of second-degree murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and other charges on Monday.
Prosecutors alleged that Johnson planned to steal about $35,000 and jewelry from the home of Carrie Smith, 76, in January 2012 to buy a large amount of marijuana in Colorado. They said Suero and an accomplice carried out the crime. Smith was taken to the hospital with chest pains hours afterward and died of a heart attack two months later.
“We have a betrayal that runs really, really deep, and you will never hear an apology from these two defendants,” Assistant District Attorney Patricia Fuentes Mulqueen told jurors in her closing argument.
Suero took the stand to deny any involvement in the crime. He acknowledged having fled to Texas after learning of the charges, but said he feared being deported. Suero left Venezuela at age 3, but has been a legal resident of the United States for 25 years.
Defense attorneys attacked the credibility of prosecution witnesses and pointed the finger at another person.
Suero's attorney, Phil Lauer, said he was sure appeals would be filed in the case.
