Jury Convicts Former Missouri Gym Owner in the Murder of His Neighbor
A jury in Missouri deliberated for less than an hour before returning with a guilty verdict for 48-year-old Pavel Samsinak for murdering his neighbor, setting her house on fire, and watching it burn down.
On September 21, 2020, police and firefighters in Springfield, Missouri, were dispatched to the residence of Alice Hale, 66, at 1736 W. Lombard. After getting the fire under control, first responders found the deceased body of Hale. The Springfield Police Department stated in a release that her death was suspicious.
Samsinak was identified by police officers as a suspect two days later on September 23, 2020, and arrested. The following day, Greene County Prosecutors Office charged Samsinak with second-degree murder, second-degree arson, armed criminal action, and tampering with evidence.
According to Ozark’s First, Samsinak murdered Hale after an argument about a fence Samsinak was building in a vacant lot between his and Hale’s homes. Neighbors overheard the pair arguing and police found Hale’s blood on the driver’s seat belt in his pick up truck.
Testimony from the trial reveals that Samsinak beat Hale to death and set her house on fire to destroy any evidence. Jurors heard the testimony of neighbors and also viewed surveillance footage from a nearby Express Stop convenience store.
Samsinak could face a life-sentence for a second-degree murder charge. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 11, 2022.
Photo: Greene County Jail
