Delaware News

David Salasky sentenced to life in prison for the murder of New Castle County Police Lieutenant Joseph Szczerba

Criminal Division | Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Friday, January 17, 2014



Wilmington – Today, David Salasky was sentenced to life in prison for the September 2011 death of New Castle County Police officer Joseph Szczerba.

 

“First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with Lt. Szczerba, his wife and family – as they have been every day since this senseless murder,” Attorney General Beau Biden said. “Today’s sentence reflects not only how seriously our society takes crimes committed against police officers; they also highlight the incredible daily sacrifice that police officers and their families make to keep us safe.”

 

On September 16, 2011, after responding to a report of a theft from a motor vehicle and disorderly person in New Castle, Lt. Szczerba observed and approached David Salasky, a subject who matched the suspect description. A foot pursuit ensued and resulted in a struggle, during which Sgt. Szczerba suffered fatal stab wounds. Salasky continued to actively resist by fighting other officers, two of whom sustained injuries.

 

Salasky, age 34, was indicted by the New Castle County Grand Jury on multiple counts of murder, burglary, weapons, and assault charges in December 2011. On September 30, 2013, Salasky pled Guilty but Mentally Ill to 15 felony charges, including 2 counts of Murder 1st Degree for the death of Sgt. Szczerba, along with 4 counts of Possession of Deadly Weapon During Commission of Felony, 2 counts of Possession of a Deadly Weapon by Person Prohibited, 1 count of Resisting Arrest, 1 count of Attempted Robbery 1st Degree, 1 count of Assault 2nd Degree, and 4 counts of Burglary 3rd Degree. Delaware law requires that the Judge make an independent determination that Salasky was mentally ill at the time of the crime before imposting sentence, and at a hearing this morning Superior Court Judge William C. Carpenter, Jr. found based on substantial medical documentation that Salasky suffered from sustained mental illness. Judge Carpenter subsequently sentenced Salasky to the maximum sentence under the law: 2 life prison terms without the possibility of parole, plus 157 additional years in prison.

 

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David Salasky sentenced to life in prison for the murder of New Castle County Police Lieutenant Joseph Szczerba

Criminal Division | Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Friday, January 17, 2014



Wilmington – Today, David Salasky was sentenced to life in prison for the September 2011 death of New Castle County Police officer Joseph Szczerba.

 

“First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with Lt. Szczerba, his wife and family – as they have been every day since this senseless murder,” Attorney General Beau Biden said. “Today’s sentence reflects not only how seriously our society takes crimes committed against police officers; they also highlight the incredible daily sacrifice that police officers and their families make to keep us safe.”

 

On September 16, 2011, after responding to a report of a theft from a motor vehicle and disorderly person in New Castle, Lt. Szczerba observed and approached David Salasky, a subject who matched the suspect description. A foot pursuit ensued and resulted in a struggle, during which Sgt. Szczerba suffered fatal stab wounds. Salasky continued to actively resist by fighting other officers, two of whom sustained injuries.

 

Salasky, age 34, was indicted by the New Castle County Grand Jury on multiple counts of murder, burglary, weapons, and assault charges in December 2011. On September 30, 2013, Salasky pled Guilty but Mentally Ill to 15 felony charges, including 2 counts of Murder 1st Degree for the death of Sgt. Szczerba, along with 4 counts of Possession of Deadly Weapon During Commission of Felony, 2 counts of Possession of a Deadly Weapon by Person Prohibited, 1 count of Resisting Arrest, 1 count of Attempted Robbery 1st Degree, 1 count of Assault 2nd Degree, and 4 counts of Burglary 3rd Degree. Delaware law requires that the Judge make an independent determination that Salasky was mentally ill at the time of the crime before imposting sentence, and at a hearing this morning Superior Court Judge William C. Carpenter, Jr. found based on substantial medical documentation that Salasky suffered from sustained mental illness. Judge Carpenter subsequently sentenced Salasky to the maximum sentence under the law: 2 life prison terms without the possibility of parole, plus 157 additional years in prison.

 

# # #

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.