Published: September 04, 2008 11:42 pm            

Suspect rejects plea deal, faces Oct. 30 murder trial

EBENSBURG — A Johnstown man reportedly was ready to enter a plea deal Thursday just before jury selection for his murder trial in the shooting death of an Elton man.

But Antonio Winkleman changed his mind about pleading guilty to a reduced charge, and prosecutors took the deal off the table, saying that the defendant again will face a possible life sentence without parole if he is convicted of first-degree murder.

Winkleman’s decision came after Judge Norman Krumenacker denied a defense motion to suppress incriminating statements the defendant had made to police after his arrest Dec. 14.

Defense attorney Paul Eckenrode of Ebensburg then asked for a continuance to prepare for trial, which now is set for Oct. 30.

District Attorney Patrick Kiniry refused to disclose any details of the proposed plea bargain.

But courthouse sources suggest the plea would have been to third-degree murder, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 to 40 years.

Winkleman, 26, is charged in the Dec. 9 killing of 51-year-old Scott Ickes at Ickes’ home in Elton, where Winkleman had been staying temporarily. Authorities said that the shooting took place after Ickes had made repeated demands that day for cocaine from Winkleman.

Winkleman fled after the shooting but was arrested Dec. 14 in Altoona.

Kevin Price, a county detective, said that while Winkleman was being transported Dec. 14 to the office of District Judge Rick Varner for arraignment, the suspect had “started talking briefly about the shooting.

“I guess he wanted people to know his side of the story. He said that ‘the dude was going for a gun, and that’s why I shot him. I’m not a bad guy. I did what I had to do,’ ” Price testified.

Price said that neither he nor Detective Gary Makosky, who also was in the car, had questioned the suspect.

Retired state police Cpl. Frank Adamczyk said that Winkleman had agreed to waive his rights to remain silent and to have an attorney present prior to being questioned at Varner’s office.

Adamczyk also testified that Winkleman “wanted to tell his side. He said he did, in fact, shoot Scott Ickes. He (Winkleman) had gotten 14 grams of coke that day, and there was an argument.”

Ickes, by his repeated demands “was disrespecting Mr. Winkleman,” Adamczyk testified. “He thought Ickes was going for a gun, and he shot him.”

        

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