Pa. Woman Charged With Soliciting Husband’s Killer With Life Insurance Proceeds

A Republic woman charged with trying to hire a man to kill her husband had the charges lodged against her held for Fayette County Court on Tuesday.

Norman Pennington, 61, testified he initially thought Roxanne Guty, 51, was joking when she offered to pay him to kill her husband, Arthur Guty Jr.

Pennington said sometime in September, Roxanne Guty first asked him to kill her husband. He testified she told him that she knew he’d been in jail before, and asked he if could do her a favor.

“At the time, I was taking everything as a joke-I thought she was blowing off steam,” Pennington testified. He said he was accused of killing his brother in the 80s, but was acquitted of the crime.

Pennington said they had about 10 conversations where she asked what would it take to kill her husband. He testified when he told he’d need a .22 caliber rifle that would cost around $275, Roxanne Guty gave him $300 about 10 to 15 minutes later.

Pennington said he put that money into the poker machine and played, still believing it was a joke and the money was for him helping her close the Marathon gas station the Gutys run.

During another conversation, Pennington testified, Roxanne Guty told him that if he waited in the woods near the gas station, he would have a good shot at Arthur Guty when he arrived at work. He testified she ultimately told him that if he killed her husband, she would split a $50,000 life insurance policy with him. After about six months of continued conversations like that, Pennington testified, he realized she wasn’t joking.

Roxanne Guty’s attorney J.W. Eddy asked Pennington if he was aware that Roxanne Guty had a protection from abuse (PFA) order against Arthur Guty. Pennington said he knew.

“It was when she left him,” Pennington said. “I didn’t think she would actually leave.”

Arthur Guty Jr. also testified, saying he was having a cigarette at the station while Pennington was playing the slot machines. He testified he told Pennington about the PFA order against him and Pennington told Arthur Guty him that his wife wanted to have him killed.

“I was in shock,” Arthur Guty said, adding that he contacted the police.

Following testimony from the two men, Eddy argued to Magisterial District Judge Jennifer Jeffries that there was “very scant evidence” and many aspects of the Pennington’s testimony were inconsistent with rational thinking.

Eddy requested Roxanne Guty be placed on bond after it was denied during her arraignment last week and to have the charge of attempted homicide be dismissed as there was no proof offered in the testimony that she took substantial steps to kill her husband.

Assistant District Attorney James Geibig said Pennington was a credible witness because even if he’s not taking her seriously, Roxanne Guty was taking the alleged plot to kill her husband serious by giving Pennington money for a gun and pointing out the best location to shoot him.

“She was even offering to split an insurance policy,” Geibig said in his argument against dismissing the attempted homicide charge.

Jeffries held that charge along with the criminal homicide charge for county court and did not entertain any bail reduction.

Guty is lodged in the Fayette County Prison.

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