Andrew Peleschak admitted Wednesday afternoon to murdering his wife by shooting her twice and will now spend up to 56 years in prison for it.
Peleschak appeared in Courtroom 2 at Schuylkill County Courthouse on Wednesday to enter a guilty plea and be sentenced by Judge Christopher Hobbs. The 57-year-old Frackville man shot his wife, Natalie, 55, to death at their home on S. Center St. on the night of Oct. 4.
The state prison sentence of 28-56 years was agreed to by the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office, State Police, and the victim’s family. Assistant District Attorney Tom Pellish told Hobbs he believed the sentence would ensure Peleschak spent the rest of his life in prison and spared family members the trauma of enduring a criminal jury trial, which was to start in June.
Peleschak pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of third-degree murder and aggravated assault. The maximum penalty is 60 years for those crimes, if sentences were served consecutively.
Hobbs told Peleschak that if he didn’t know that the plea deal was agreed to by all parties involved, he would not have agreed to it being on the lesser side of the maximum. The judge called Peleschak’s actions last year “cowardly.”
Prior to Hobbs handing down his sentence, the daughter Peleschak shared with the woman he murdered spoke. Sofia Peleschak placed a small urn before her as she took the witness stand.
“I can’t hear her laugh anymore,” she said to her father as she battled through tears. “You took that all from me. You took everything from me.”
Natalie Peleschak’s other daughter, Dayla Brader, said Wednesday she did not have the best relationship with her mother but remembered rather cruel behavior that Peleschak exhibited through the years, including drinking heavily and asking her if he should stay with her mother.
“Spend time with God,” she told him. “He will be the only person you have going forward and the only person you’ll see at the end.”
Peleschak did not speak about the crimes he committed, other than admitting to them with simple “Yes” answers. His attorney, Public Defender Debra Smith, told the court on behalf of her client, “He is sitting here with great remorse. He is taking responsibility.”
Peleschak called 9-1-1 shortly after midnight last Oct. 4, telling dispatchers he had shot his wife and then attempted to shoot himself. Frackville Police arrived at the Peleschak’s home to find him outside, bleeding heavily from a head wound. He was treated at the scene and flown to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.
Inside the home, police discovered Natalie, deceased on the kitchen floor with a gunshot wound between her eyes. Investigators recovered a blood-covered .45-caliber pistol and ammunition from the kitchen table, and located two additional magazines in the suspect’s pants pocket.
During a subsequent hospital interview, State Police reported that Peleschak admitted to the killing. He told investigators he shot his wife twice, first in the vagina, which he said surprised her, followed by a fatal shot to the head. He claimed to police that he carried out the shooting after finding messages on her phone suggesting she had been unfaithful.
More From Coal Region Canary
See all stories ›
Flood Watch Issued for Schuylkill County on Thursday
5 hours ago
Nabholz Has Allowed Just 1 Earned Run in 5 Appearances Since Promotion to Eugene
12 hours ago
Schuylkill County Man Used Brother’s Name During Traffic Stop Because He’d Been Sentenced to Jail for Driving on a Suspended License
13 hours ago
Barton Cards Sub-70 Round to Pace Haven; Blue Mountain Sweeps Tri-Match
15 hours ago
PennDOT to Host Winter Job Fair in Schuylkill County
17 hours ago
Schuylkill County Man Wanted After Police Say He Traded Nude Photos With 16-Year-Old
18 hours agoSubscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...