Atlantic City
Toronto women slain in Atlantic City 2
By Chris Doucette, Toronto Sun
Tuesday, May 22, 2012 8:14:33 EDT PM
A brutal, broad daylight knife attack that left two Toronto women dead in Atlantic City lasted a mere 13 seconds.
Barely 24 hours after what is believed to be a botched purse snatching, the Pennsylvania woman accused of butchering the vacationing Canadians was calm and even had her sense of humour during her first appearance in New Jersey court.
When Superior Court Judge Michael Donio asked Antoinette Pelzer if she had hired a lawyer, the accused stumbled over her words and then began laughing.
“I’m trying to find out where’s my public defence, my public, my . . .,” she said, before bursting into laughter.
The dishevelled 44-year-old appeared puzzled throughout her arraignment and was surprised when the judge mentioned the two victims — ages 47 and 80 — had died.
“Both?” Pelzer asked.
The accused was also taken aback when the judge explained her robbery and weapons charges had been upgraded to include two counts of murder.
But Pelzer, who apparently has mental health issues, displayed virtually no emotion as Donio detailed the heinous killings she is accused of committing in front of Bally’s Atlantic City casino hotel.
It’s alleged Pelzer first stabbed the younger woman repeatedly with a 12-inch butcher knife then turned the knife on the elderly woman when she intervened.
“The (younger) victim fell to the ground and while on the ground the suspect attempted to take the victim’s pocketbook from her shoulder,” Donio alleged. “When the victim would not relinquish (the purse), the suspect stabbed her additional times.”
Some U.S. media reports say the attacker was captured by surveillance cameras running from across the street and chasing the Toronto women.
Atlantic City Police officer Jacob Abbruscato was on patrol in the area and spotted the attack around 10 a.m. Monday.
He jumped out of his cruiser and ran to the aid of the woman, drawing his gun and ordering the assailant to drop the knife.
The woman complied and Abbruscato arrested her.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Ted Housel, who presented the case, said the officer was able to stop the attack within 13 seconds.
The injured women were rushed to a nearby hospital and later died.
Housel asked the victims’ names not be released until next-of-kin can be notified.
The judge agreed, ordered their names be sealed for 72 hours and that they be referred to as Jane and Sally Doe for now.
Karen Foss, a Canadian government spokesman, confirmed officials from the Consulate General of Canada in New York are in contact with local authorities and are “providing consular assistance.”
Police there have said the two women are from Scarborough and are of Asian decent.
Toronto Police said they have been asked to find the victims’ relatives, but have not yet located any family.
Gladys Pelzer, the mother of the accused, told a Philadelphia television station that her daughter is schizophrenic and was likely off her medication while living on the streets of the resort town.
Pelzer’s bail was set at $1.5 million.
http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2012/05/21/two-canadians-killed-in-atlantic-city
A “crazy” woman- but not crazy enough to disobey a uniformed police officer and not crazy enough not to just stand around after the murder and be arrested.
Gas her like a rat or hang her high. Murdering scum.
Unfortunately, New Jersey abolished the death penalty in 2007. So she’ll be given three meals a day for the rest of her life.
send her to afganasten and leave her there homelesss the dirty scumbag whore