NORWICH – A pattern again emerged Tuesday in the Peter M. Wlasiuk murder retrial as the prosecution continued to attack the defendant’s changing story while the defense carried on its critical examination of errors made during the police investigation.
Prosecution points out Wlasiuk’s inconsistency
Testimony was set to begin Tuesday where it left off Monday with Sheriff’s Lt. James E. Lloyd taking the stand, but instead District Attorney Joseph McBride requested that Civil Attorney Hugh Leonard be allowed to testify first.
Leonard read a transcript from a July 18, 2002 interview with Wlasiuk that took place at the old Chenango County Sheriff’s Office.
Leonard was contracted by New York Central Mutual Insurance to perform an investigation into an claim made by Wlasiuk attempting to collect on a policy over the damages done to his 1998 GMC dual-wheel one-ton extended cab.
The vehicle was the one involved in the fatal event that claimed Patricia Wlasiuk’s life on April 3, 2002. She was 35 years old at the time.
According to Wlasiuk, he and his wife were traveling east on County Route 35 in the Town of Guilford to retrieve their three children from a baby-sitter when they were involved in a fatal accident.
Police arrested Wlasiuk on April 8, 2002, accusing him of staging the accident to cover up the murder of his wife.