Man enters guilty plea in death

By Ed Runyan

WARREN — A Trumbull County prosecutor says Christopher P. Moore, 32, went to David Petrosky’s house intoxicated last Nov. 10, tried to buy a gun from Petrosky and killed the 55-year-old grandfather by accident with a gunshot to the head.

When he fled from Petrosky’s Hall Street Northwest home, he took with him the pistol he shot Petrosky with and another gun, said county assistant Prosecutor Chris Becker. Both guns were later recovered at Moore’s house.

On Tuesday, Moore pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, two counts of grand theft, tampering with evidence and using weapons while intoxicated.

Becker is recommending that Moore serve 15 years in prison. Judge Andrew Logan will decide on a sentence in four to six weeks, after the Trumbull County Adult Probation Department conducts a presentence investigation.

Barbara Eschman of Howland, the victim’s sister, said some members of the Petrosky family are still angry that Moore isn’t facing a murder charge because they believe Moore killed her brother on purpose.

“Whether it was an accident or intentional, he’s gone,” she said of her brother. “The sentencing is in the judge’s hands and in the law’s hands.”

She is relieved that Moore’s plea means that there will not be a trial to force the Petrosky family to relive her brother’s death. Eschman went to court for Moore’s plea hearing Tuesday with two of Petrosky’s sons and her mother.

It has been a difficult year in the Petrosky family, Eschman said. David’s ex-wife, Bobbie Hileman, died in March of cancer, so the Petrosky children lost their father and mother in about four months.

Petrosky was a retired Copperweld steel worker. He spent his time working out at the downtown YMCA every day, playing basketball and riding his bicycle. He also was a gun enthusiast.

Moore, of Roosevelt Street, one road over from Hall, was a childhood friend of one of Petrosky’s sons and had been at Petrosky’s home several times in recent years. Petrosky sometimes helped Moore by giving him food or small amounts of money, said Anthony Petrosky, one of David Petrosky’s sons.

Moore’s plea would allow Judge Logan to sentence Moore to more than 50 years in prison.

runyan@vindy.com