Stowe man convicted of first-degree murder in elderly man's beating death
A Stowe man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted Monday in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court in the 2016 beating death of an elderly McKees Rocks man.
Branden A. Frazier, 28, was convicted by an Allegheny County jury of first-degree murder in the death of Benito Nicoletti, 73, whose body was found in his Vine Street home on June 1, 2016.
The jury deliberated for two hours before convicting Frazier, who underwent a trial before Allegheny County Judge Kevin Sasinoski, according to Michael Manko, a spokesman for Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.
Frazier faces a mandatory life sentence for his conviction on first-degree murder when he is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 3.
Nicoletti was struck multiple times in the head with a blunt object, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner determined. Allegheny County police said they found blood spatter on the walls and ceiling of the room where Nicoletti’s body was found.
Police said they found bloodstained blue jeans inside a backpack belonging to Frazier, and Frazier had used a car that Nicoletti had rented.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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