Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 02/22/06

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Chief Deputy Larry Scoufos Deputy District Attorney: Joan Riss

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

MURDERER DENIED PAROLE

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that convicted murderer Edwin Spiteri was denied parole last week by the Board of Parole Hearings. Spiteri was convicted of First Degree Murder for the March 6, 1987, killing of twenty year old Brian Pachorek. Spiteri, then 34 years of age, injected the victim with a toxic substance with the intent of sexually assaulting him. He then planned to kill him and dispose of his body from a cliff in the Big Sur area.

When Mr. Pachorek regained consciousness while being transported to the coast, Spiteri returned to Petaluma where he attempted to enlist an acquaintance to help kill the victim. When the acquaintance refused to do so, Spiteri used a heavy object to bludgeon the victim. He then tied plastic bags around the victim’s head. The cause of death was asphyxiation from suffocation. Spiteri then drove the victim to the coast where he was stopped by law enforcement officers after the acquaintance notified authorities.

Spiteri refused to attend his parole hearing at Corcoran State Prison when he learned that members of the Pachorek family would be present. The members of the Board of Parole Hearings agreed with Deputy District Attorney Joan Risse that Spiteri poses an unreasonable risk of harm to the community if released. He has failed to take advantage of programs within the California Department of Corrections. He has had numerous rule violations. He has minimized and rationalized his behavior and has shown a lack of remorse. The District Attorney also argued that this murder was carried out in an especially heinous, atrocious, cruel and callous manner.

In separate statements to the board, the victim’s parents described the incredible stress and pain the family has endured. They were there to implore the board not to release the prisoner because they wanted no other family to have to go through what their family has suffered at the hands of Spiteri.

The board denied parole and found that he is not eligible for another parole hearing for five years, the maximum time allowed between hearings. "We are pleased that the Board of Parole Hearings agreed with our position that this individual poses a great danger to our community," stated District Attorney Passalacqua.