Man will go to trial on homicide charge

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Michael Roberts will go to trial on charges that he bludgeoned Daniel Palumbo to death.
Roberts, 26, of Lathrop Street, had a preliminary hearing Thursday in Lawrence County Central Court. He is charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and simple assault in Palumbo's March 2005 death.
Palumbo was found bludgeoned by a bar stool in his East Long Avenue basement. He died the next day at St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown. According to the affidavit filed to support the charges, three people told police that Roberts told them about the killing.
Police noted in court papers that Roberts has no alibi for the time of the killing, which was sometime between 11 and 11:30 a.m. March 25, 2005.
Roberts, who was already in jail on a bond revocation from a previous drug charge, is being held without bail.