Retailer Michael George pleaded not guilty on Monday in Macomb County, Mich., to first-degree murder, insurance fraud and other charges in connection with the 1990 death of his first wife, Barbara.
George, owner of Comics World in Windber, Pa., and co-founder of Pittsburgh Comic-Con, is accused of staging the July 13, 1990, shooting death of his first wife to look like a robbery of their Clinton Township, Mich., comic-book store. Prosecutors say he wanted to collect his wife’s $125,000 insurance policy and their shared estate, and start over with another woman.
George was arrested in August in Pennsylvania after Clinton Township detectives reopened the 17-year-old case in January and began interviewing witnesses.
On Monday, defense attorney Carl Marlinga filed a motion to have George released from jail on “reasonable bond” to his mother’s house in Hazel Park, Mich. George currently is being held without bond.
October 30th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
I wonder how long before “Law and Order” does an episode based with a plot similar to this events.
October 30th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
its 17 years later, why are the cops pursuing this NOW?!?
if I was this guy and was found innocent, I’d sue the pants off someone…
October 30th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
“its 17 years later, why are the cops pursuing this NOW?!?”
There’s no statute of limitations on murder. Old (“cold”) cases are sometimes reopened when new evidence is discovered, witnesses step forward, or detectives take a fresh look at the existing evidence.
October 30th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
“if I was this guy and was found innocent, I’d sue the pants off someone…”
If it goes to trial, he’s either going to be found “GUILTY” or “NOT GUILTY”. He won’t be found innocent or not. The only way he could try to sue is if it came out that either the police or the prosecution fabricated evidence or withheld evidence.
October 30th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
I don’t like murder.
October 30th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
“There’s no statute of limitations on murder. Old (”cold”) cases are sometimes reopened when new evidence is discovered, witnesses step forward, or detectives take a fresh look at the existing evidence. ”
And that is what the cops say they did. They reopened the cold case, reevaluated the evidence and spoke to many people. So somewhere down the line of this something raised a flag and they were able to finally make a case against him. So either some clue was found that was missed or someone talked.
There was never any other suspect that the cops were looking at in this case, its always been him.
He’s also reported as claiming that “the killer was out to get him”. An interesting tale that doesn’t really seem to hold up in my opinion.
This incident was 17 years ago. It took him 2 years after it to leave michigan and setup a rather public business in PA, and he helped found the comic con. I would think that if someone were after him they would have had plenty of time in the past 17 years to get him.
That is all speculation on my part, nothing more.
November 1st, 2007 at 8:55 pm
“On Monday, defense attorney Carl Marlinga filed a motion to have George released from jail on “reasonable bond” to his mother’s house in Hazel Park, Mich. George currently is being held without bond.”
Marlinga does it again. He wants to send George to his mother’s house in Hazel Park, as if he’s NOT a flight risk??? That places him practically in our backyard. My wife freaked out. Watch out, Comics n’ More, my favorite store!
November 28th, 2007 at 12:16 am
Of course he wants house arrest so he and his mother could work on his alibi.
March 17th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/030608/loc_local03.shtml
Interesting testimony