Suspect in baby, grandma deaths had casino losses
BRIDGEPORT, Pa. (AP) -- A neighbor charged with killing a 10-month-old girl and her grandmother during a botched kidnapping told police he had lost $15,000 gambling at casinos the week before.
After seeing a videotaped police statement given by 26-year-old Raghunandan Yandamuri last month, a suburban Philadelphia judge has ordered him to stand trial on first-degree murder, kidnapping and other charges.
In the video, Yandamuri tells police he had a good job but planned the kidnapping to get money from the baby's parents, both software engineers.
Yandamuri says he panicked after the grandmother was killed as they struggled over a knife. He says he accidentally dropped the baby, then smothered her.
Defense lawyer Stephen Heckman unsuccessfully argued that his client lacked the intent to kill, a requirement for a first-degree murder conviction.
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