Death penalty sought in Bernville double murder

Death penalty sought in Bernville double murder


Berks County prosecutors will seek the death penalty for a 27-year-old man charged with killing his ex-girlfriend and her 5-year-old daughter and hanging their bodies to make it look like a murder-suicide.

Albert Perez, also known as Albert Ledbetter, of the 300 block of Chestnut Street, was returned to Berks County Prison without bail Friday after pleading not guilty during his arraignment before Judge Linda K.M. Ludgate.

Assistant District Attorney Adrian Shchuka said the death penalty is warranted because there are 2 victims, one of whom was a child.

Perez is charged with 1st-degree murder, abuse of a corpse and related offenses in the deaths of Duceliz Diaz, 22, and her daughter, Kayla.

Their bodies were found Jan. 15, 2007, in Diaz's Bernville apartment.

State police said Perez, who is being represented by Assistant Public Defenders Kevin Beals and Andrea Mertz, strangled the 2, then staged the scene look like Diaz hanged her daughter and herself.

Perez was charged May 1 after an investigation that hinged on DNA and fiber analysis by a state police crime lab and an FBI analysis of what appeared to be a suicide note left by Diaz.

After comparing things written by Diaz and by Perez, the FBI concluded Perez probably wrote the note after the murders, according to court records.

Investigators also said fibers found in Perez's car and on a pair of his gloves were from pajamas used to strangle the child.

(source: Reading Eagle)