Murder trial begins for Apollo man charged with wife's killing
Nov. 13—Prosecutors told a Westmoreland County jury Monday there was no mystery as to who killed an Apollo woman last year at a Lower Burrell storage facility.
Assistant District Attorney Katie Ranker said Alfred Keith Steele shot his estranged wife in the head with a 9 mm pistol as she leaned over a box of clothes on May 14, 2022. Police said Kelly Steele, 42, was found dead in a pool of blood and her husband confessed to her murder.
"Kelly was going to get her summer clothes, and the defendant said he wanted his clothes to go to rehabilitation. They arrived in separate vehicles and less than 10 minutes later, the defendant walked out alone," Ranker said during opening statements in the first-degree murder trial for Alfred Steele.
Steele, 44, is charged with first and third-degree murder. Ranker said prosecutors believe Steele intended to kill his wife that morning and lured her to the U-Haul storage facility. The couple had kept personal items there after they sold the family home months earlier and separated.
Sherry Martin, 67, of Apollo, said her daughter started dating Steele while in high school and the couple married in 2001 and had two children. Martin said Kelly Steele moved home in December 2021 and maintained a cordial relationship with her estranged husband. Martin testified her daughter had not had any romantic relationships after she separated from Steele.
Steele has not denied killing his wife, and prosecutors said an hour after he fired the fatal shot he drove to the Pennsylvania State Police
Kiski Valley barracks and confessed.
Jurors will be asked to determine whether Steele intended to kill his wife or if there was another explanation for her death, according to defense attorney Adam Gorzelsky.
Gorzelsky conceded Alfred Steele had addiction problems that in part led to marital problems and unsubstantiated allegations his wife had been unfaithful. While not revealing specifics of the defense case, Gorzelsky, in his opening statement to the jury, suggested evidence will be presented to refute the prosecution's contention Steele lured his wife to the storage facility to kill her.
"Facts will come out that will lead you to the conclusion this was not an intentional killing. Mr. Steele made a mistake that led to his wife's death that day," Gorzelsky said.
Prosecutors last week dismissed related counts of second-degree murder, robbery and theft.
As a result, jurors will have just three options to consider. If convicted of first-degree murder Steele faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. A conviction to third-degree murder carries a maximum 40-year prison sentence.
Gorzelsky said Steele could also be found not guilty because the facts of the case do not conform with the specific allegations of the two murder counts he faces at trial.
Testimony will continue when the trial reconvenes Tuesday.
Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .
