Judge: Confession in Youngwood man's stabbing death, robbery to be allowed at trial

A confession given to police nearly a week after the stabbing death of Matthew Genard will stand, a Westmoreland County judge has ruled.

Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani said prosecutors can tell jurors about the statement made by Jason Sullenberger, 41, of Youngwood, about his role in Genard’s murder on Nov. 9, 2017. Sullenberger contended he had consumed up to 50 bags of heroin prior to his police interrogation and, as a result, could not consent to giving a voluntary statement.

“Despite Mr. Sullenberger’s argument that his mental faculties were adversely affected because he was not able to calculate math early on in the interview, the court finds that despite Mr. Sullenberger’s errors … he appeared perfectly coherent during the conversation and there was no significant evidence of intoxication or impairment,” Feliciani wrote in his eight-page opinion released Thursday.

Prosecutors contend Sullenberger was one of four people who conspired to rob Genard, 50, when he was stabbed to death in his Youngwood home. Sullenberger, Christopher David, 41, Michael Covington Jr., 21, and Linda Kay Quidetto, 41, all of Youngwood, were charged with criminal homicide, conspiracy and robbery in Genard’s death.

Investigators said as the three men met with Genard, David put him in a choke hold, exposing his back to allow Sullenberger and Covington to repeatedly stab him.

Genard was stabbed as many as 20 times, according to police.

Police said the men left with Genard’s clothes, money and drugs.

The next day, the men and Quidetto split up two bricks of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and about $1,100 in cash taken from Genard’s home, police said.

Trial dates for Sullenberger and Quidetto have not been set.

David is slated to appear Aug. 15 before Feliciani for a pretrial motion. Covington is awaiting a ruling on a pretrial issue argued last month.