Published Wednesday, May 10, 2000
SHARPSVILLE
Murder suspect’s hearing delayed
The preliminary hearing for a Hermitage man accused of drowning his girlfriend in her bathtub last week has been rescheduled for next month.
Leon “Luggo” R. Grande, 59, of 87 Maple Drive, will face first- and third-degree murder charges at 9 a.m. June 13 before District Justice James E. McMahon, Sharon, a court clerk said.
The hearing was continued from Tuesday because Grande was taken to Warren State Hospital on May 2 for psychiatric evaluation. Mercer County District Attorney James P. Epstein said last week Grande could spend 30 to 60 days in the hospital in North Warren, Pa.
Grande allegedly drowned 47-year-old Deborra DeSantis, 900 Laurel Drive, Sharpsville, in her bathtub on May 1. He was arrested minutes after police responded to his 911 call about a dead person at the home.
According to a police probable cause affidavit, Grande allegedly killed Ms. DeSantis by “striking her head against the bathroom wall and/or drowning her” in the bathtub. Grande was arraigned later that day and placed in Mercer County Jail before he was taken to the hospital.
Although police have not released details of Grande’s mental state, Grande and Ms. DeSantis were in a car-minivan crash at 9:42 p.m. April 30 in Farrell and according to the accident report from Southwest Mercer County Regional police, Grande said he had been prescribed Zoloft, an anti-depressant, and Sonata, a sleeping medication.
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