Victim testifies about her husband's murder; accused give opening statement

YOUNGSTOWN

Jacqueline Repchic testified today in the first day of the trial of the man accused of killing her husband that she remembered hearing gunfire and asked her husband about it — only he didn’t respond.

Testifying in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court from a wheelchair, Jacqueline Repchic said when her husband Thomas didn’t answer, she noticed their car was about to head onto Market Street as it was traveling from Southern Boulevard, so she grabbed the wheel and steered the car into a curb.

“My husband and I were talking and I heard, ‘ping, ping, ping’ sounds, and I said to Tom, ‘Somebody is shooting at us,’” Jacqueline Repchic testified. “He didn’t answer.”

Aubrey Toney, 33, claims he is innocent of the Sept. 25, 2010, death of Thomas Repchic, 74, and the wounding of his wife Jacqueline, then 74, as they rode in a car at Southern Boulevard and East Philadelphia Avenue about 1 p.m. He could face the death penalty if convicted of aggravated murder, attempted murder and felonious assault.

Toney gave the opening statement in his own behalf, asking jurors to set aside emotion and base their verdict on the evidence they will hear.

Read the complete story in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.