Man Who Murdered Md. Couple, Then Went on Cruise to Plead Guilty

WASHINGTON — The Rockville, Maryland, man charged with brutally murdering a Maryland couple on Mother’s Day 2015, before going on a cruise to Alaska with his parents, is expected to plead guilty for the crime Tuesday.

Court documents show Scott Tomaszewski, 32, plans to plead guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, as part of an arrangement with Montgomery County’s prosecutors, for the deaths of Richard and Julianne Vilardo, of Ridge Road, in Rockville.

Hours after the murders, Tomaszewski was on a previously-planned cruise with his parents, heading for Alaska.

He was arrested when the ship was docked in Juneau, after detectives found bloody money in his wallet. Police said he confessed to the murders.

As part of the plea agreement, NBC Washington reports, prosecutors will be able to argue for a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, while the defense will be able to ask for a life sentence that includes the chance of parole.

At the time of the arrest, in May 2015, Montgomery County police said a burglary at the Vilardo’s home 17 years ago led investigators to Tomaszewski — he had apparently been house-sitting for the couple at the time, but was not a suspect in the case.

Police have not identified the motive for the murders, but have said the crime began with a burglary.

Tomaszewski’s lawyer has said his client suffers from a severe brain injury.

The post Man who murdered Md. couple, then went on cruise to plead guilty appeared first on WTOP.

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