Prutzman urged the jury to convict Perez-Rodriguez of first-degree murder, saying the killing was clearly intentional and premediated, given that Fink was stabbed six times during what appeared to be a prolonged struggle. It’s a red herring, he said, for the defense to suggest someone else killed Fink on his property as Perez-Rodriguez was systematically ransacking the house. Fink’s jewelry on this man’s hand,” Prutzman said. ![]() “There’s something so unnerving about seeing Mr. Perez-Rodriguez was wearing Fink’s Wyomissing High School class ring and 1966 Air Force Academy ring when he was arrested. “That’s why they didn’t look for anybody else.” Prosecution argumentsĪssistant District Attorney Charles Prutzman told the jury that the lack of an identified murder weapon was of little consequence given the plethora of evidence that included a recorded phone conversation from Berks County Prison between Perez-Rodriguez and his mother in which the defendant admitted to killing a war veteran.Ĭell tower pings from the defendant’s phone placed him in Fink’s home for six hours, evidence corroborated by several neighbors, Prutzman said.ĭuring this time, the defendant was taking items from the home, including those of sentimental value to Fink but of little economic value, such as a high school yearbook and a 1994 address book, and putting them into the stolen Honda CRV that was parked in the driveway, Prutzman said. “They had their guy from the get-go, from the very start of it,” Bompadre said. While his client would naturally be considered a suspect, it doesn’t mean he killed Fink, Bompadre said. He called into question a key part of the prosecution timeline, arguing there was insufficient testimony by the pathologist who estimated the time of death.īompadre accused the prosecution of having tunnel vision after Reading police stopped a stolen vehicle that contained the weapons and personal belongings and identification documents of a 76-year-old Bern Township man, who turned out to be a victim of a murder. He pointed out Fink’s body was found 96 feet from the victim’s home in a wooded area. Defense argumentsĪddressing the jury in his closing arguments Thursday afternoon, Perez-Rodriguez’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Adam Bompadre, acknowledged his client broke into Fink’s home and had Fink’s personal property.īut Bompadre argued the prosecution provided no evidence that Perez-Rodriguez was in the home at the same time as Fink, or was ever near the victim. They found the home ransacked, which gave them probable cause to obtain a search warrant. Sweitzer and other members of the city police department returned to the home the next day and noticed the recycling can was still at the end of the driveway and that someone had taken Sweitzer’s business card that had been wedged between the door jam and the door.Īs police prepared to force their way in, they found an unlocked rear door off the patio and went inside. No no one answered, although it appeared someone was home because there were lights on inside and the garage door was slightly raised, revealing a car inside. They knocked and shined flashlights inside. to ask Fink if he knew why Perez-Rodriguez had his property. In the bag was a shipping envelope with Fink’s mailing address and three bank cards belonging to Fink.Ĭriminal Investigators Eric Sweitzer and David Lehman went to Fink’s home about 10 p.m. While Perez-Rodriguez was handcuffed, officers searched the SUV and found three knives, two handguns, a hunting rifle and a semi-automatic shotgun.Ī military-issue bag was found in the cargo area behind the rear seat. Perez-Rodriguez stopped the SUV in the 100 block of North Third Street before the officer even tried to pull him over and got out, but was ordered to the ground at gunpoint. The officer ran the registration plate and discovered the vehicle was reported stolen out of New Jersey. He noticed the last number on the plate appeared to have been altered. ![]() on July 16, a Reading police officer was following an SUV with a Minnesota license plate going west in the 500 block of Washington Street. ![]() Perez-Rodriguez has been in custody since his arrest by Reading police on Jthe day before Fink’s body was discovered in the woods behind his home - for driving a stolen vehicle filled with items belonging to Fink.Ībout 7:40 p.m. Yatron gave the jury its instructions about 3:30 p.m., and the jury began deliberating around 4:30 p.m., rendering a verdict at 5:30 p.m. The defense rested late Thursday morning after four days of testimony.
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