Brother awaits execution for man who murdered sister

HUBBARD — Tom Heiss stands quietly beside his sister’s grave at union cemetery, asking why her murderer hasn’t been put to death.

“I want to see my sister rest in peace,” Heiss said. “It’s about time to get this over with.”

Heiss, 40, who lives on Youngstown’s West Side, is the brother of Tami Engstrom, who was murdered Feb. 8, 1991, near the Brookfield Township home of her convicted murderer, Kenneth Biros.

An autopsy showed that she had suffered 91 injuries before she died. She was beaten, sexually mutilated and dismembered, her body parts being found in two Pennsylvania communities – a 180-mile radius – and in the trunk of Biros’ car.

Her ring was found in Biros’ basement.

One of the few ways she could be identified was by a small tattoo of an ice cream cone on her shoulder.

“I couldn’t imagine doing that to an animal,” Heiss said with emotion. “He is an animal.”

Execution of Biros has been postponed because of constant appeals.

Read more in Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com