Shotgun was inoperable, attorney tells jury in attempted homicide trial

Ed Lewis, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read
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Oct. 25—WILKES-BARRE — Attorney Nanda Palissery told a Luzerne County jury his client, Todd William Bebo, is guilty of illegally possessing a firearm and violating a protection-from-abuse order, but not the most serious charge of intending to kill his ex-girlfriend.

Assistant district attorneys Brian Coleman and Julian Truskowski countered, that Bebo, 52, had a "murder kit," a backpack containing ammunition, duct tape and other items including carrying a sledgehammer and a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun.

Bebo's trial on charges of criminal attempt to commit criminal homicide, illegal possession of a firearm, possessing instruments for crime and possessing an offensive weapon began Tuesday before Judge David W. Lupas.

Dallas Township police charged Bebo with the offenses after he allegedly showed up carrying the shotgun, sledgehammer and a backpack at the woman's Dakota Drive residence on Dec. 9, 2022, about four weeks after she obtained a protection-from-abuse order following an incident at the home on Nov. 11, 2022.

Surveillance cameras recorded Bebo in the rear of the residence on Dec. 9.

Palissery said Bebo is guilty of the firearm offenses and violating the restraining order, but never intended to harm the woman. Bebo was carrying a shotgun that Palissery said was inoperable.

"It didn't work," Palissery said of the shotgun, telling the jury Bebo just wanted to talk to his ex-girlfriend.

Truskowski described Bebo as a "violent man," telling the jury they must consider the Nov. 11, 2022, incident that began at a Plains Township eatery.

Bebo, his then-girlfriend and two friends went to the restaurant/bar to listen to a Dave Matthews tribute band. While at the establishment, Bebo became angry when his girlfriend and friends got a ride, returning to the Dakota Drive residence.

Bebo showed up about 20 minutes later at the Dakota Drive home and fired an assault rifle on a rear deck, prompting a standoff with local police and state troopers from the Special Emergency Response Team.

After Bebo surrendered and was criminally charged with terroristic threats, his girlfriend filed a protection-from-abuse order against him.

Bebo was prohibited from having any contact with the woman but showed up at her residence with the shotgun on Dec. 9, 2022 — intending to kill her until he saw the surveillance cameras, Truskowski and Coleman argued.

Testimony continues Wednesday.