It took five years to charge a man from Monroe County with a meat cleaver murder in Scotrun.
At a hearing near Tannersville a judge ruled there is enough evidence to send Robert Giardini to trial. He is charged with killing 30 year old Kevin Walker at his home in April of 2004.
Initially police said Giardini and his wife, Ann, told investigators the victim was a stranger who just happened to stop by their house to use the phone. They told police a fight broke out and Giardini used a meat cleaver to defend himself.
Five years later police told a judge that was a lie.
Investigators testified the victim was the Giardini's drug dealer and that the couple tampered with evidence the night of the murder.
"There are a lot of different factors that played into how this happened and why there would be that type of delay. I am sure it was a difficult case to investigate," said defense attorney Phil Lauer.
Defense lawyers are now questioning why it took so long to make an arrest.
The Monroe County district attorney's office said the delay was in part caused by Giardini not cooperating with investigators.
"It was the inability to really get the facts from the defendant which were necessary to refute some of the claims that were being made by them," said Assistant District Attorney Mike Mancuso.
Family members said the defendant's wife, Ann Giardini, who was also named in court papers as a suspect, passed away a few weeks before her husband was arrested for the murder.
When asked Wednesday by reporters what happened the night Walker was killed with a meat cleaver, Giardini's response was short.
"It was a bad day," he said.
Robert Giardini's case is now set to go to trial.
At a hearing near Tannersville a judge ruled there is enough evidence to send Robert Giardini to trial. He is charged with killing 30 year old Kevin Walker at his home in April of 2004.
Initially police said Giardini and his wife, Ann, told investigators the victim was a stranger who just happened to stop by their house to use the phone. They told police a fight broke out and Giardini used a meat cleaver to defend himself.
Five years later police told a judge that was a lie.
Investigators testified the victim was the Giardini's drug dealer and that the couple tampered with evidence the night of the murder.
"There are a lot of different factors that played into how this happened and why there would be that type of delay. I am sure it was a difficult case to investigate," said defense attorney Phil Lauer.
Defense lawyers are now questioning why it took so long to make an arrest.
The Monroe County district attorney's office said the delay was in part caused by Giardini not cooperating with investigators.
"It was the inability to really get the facts from the defendant which were necessary to refute some of the claims that were being made by them," said Assistant District Attorney Mike Mancuso.
Family members said the defendant's wife, Ann Giardini, who was also named in court papers as a suspect, passed away a few weeks before her husband was arrested for the murder.
When asked Wednesday by reporters what happened the night Walker was killed with a meat cleaver, Giardini's response was short.
"It was a bad day," he said.
Robert Giardini's case is now set to go to trial.
