1957 Wilkes-Barre Record Almanac

Capital Crimes in 1956

	Peter Butera, 30, 35 Elizabeth Street Pittston, indicted for the slaying of Dominick Colarusso, 65, of 124 Tompkins Street, Pittston, pleaded guilty to murder generally April 9 and on May 8 was sentenced to serve 6 to 15 years in Eastern State Penitentiary.
	John Barna, 40, Hazleton, shot and killed his estranged wife, Julia Barna, 36 January 2 in the home of her father, Joseph Bianco, 825 James Street, Hazleton. A court-appointed commission found Barna to be mentally ill and of criminal tendency. He was committed to Farview State Hospital March 9 by Judge John J. Aponick.
	Zygmund J. Wreiger, 52 of 20 West Tamarack Street, Hazleton, shot and killed Mrs. Thelma Eckrote, 45, wife of the proprietor of Eckrote’s Hotel, St Johns, June 4 in the kitchen of the establishment. Kreiger then placed the pistol in his mouth and fired a bullet into his skull.
	Francis Malia, Forty Fort, manager of Exeter Acme store was fund murdered in his automobile at Wyoming on November 23.