The weekend's standoff between Westmoreland County attorney Robert C. Klingensmith and police has come to a tragic end. Reports confirm that the 61-year-old attorney died following a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The drama unfolded at Klingensmith's office on Old William Penn Highway in Murrysville, where police were executing a search warrant related to embezzlement charges. Klingensmith, who had been accused of stealing over $300,000 from a deceased client's estate, shot himself during the standoff and was subsequently tased for failing to comply with police orders, according to video captured by a bystander and WPXI.
In a statement provided by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office, Klingensmith's death on Wednesday afternoon was confirmed as resulting from a self-inflicted injury. The attorney had been facing serious charges, which included theft and exploiting an older or care-dependent person, according to CBS News. Investigators discovered that Klingensmith had transferred funds from his late client's account into his own, closing accounts and selling shares in an apartment building that belonged to the deceased.
The District Attorney's Office voiced that Klingensmith had acted as a representative for the deceased woman, failing to distribute her estate to the rightful heirs as required by law. Instead, the office reveals that he pocketed substantial amounts of money, including selling the woman's share of an apartment building for $131,500 and withdrawing $91,000 from her accounts.
The victimized family, represented by a family member named Anne Marie Wiley, lamented their losses. "Wiley says his family may never see the money, but he hopes justice will be served," as CBS News reported. The effects of Klingensmith's actions cast a shadow over the community and his profession, and the full consequences of this tragic series of events continue to unfold.
