A Pennsylvania man is in police custody after he allegedly shot and killed his girlfriend over the weekend.
Michael Dutkiewitcz, 26, faces murder charges in the death of 25-year-old Alyssa Wiest, who was found face down on the sidewalk outside her West Conshohocken home, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.
When police responded to the scene around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, they discovered that her front door was ajar and found blood inside her home and along the sidewalk leading to her body a short distance away.
Wiest had multiple gunshot wounds to her torso and was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Dutkiewicz, who had been dating Wiest for about two years, was seen standing by his silver Ford F-150 just after the shooting before fleeing the area, a neighbor told police.
An arrest warrant was issued for Dutkiewicz, who turned himself in to police Sunday afternoon. He has been charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder and possessing an instrument of crime.
Dutkiewicz was arraigned on Sunday and remains in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility on no bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 27.
Wiest was a graduate of University of Delaware and a microbiologist, according to her LinkedIn account.
In a statement provided to FOX29, the victim’s family described Wiest as a shining star with a “future full of endless possibilities.”
“Our family is heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved Alyssa, who was a shining star in every sense. Her bright spirit, boundless kindness, and the incredible promise she held for the future made her a beacon of hope and joy for all who knew her. Her future was full of endless possibilities, and her tragic loss leaves a void that is impossible to fill. As we navigate this unimaginable pain, we ask that the media and the public respect our need for privacy. Our focus right now is on supporting each other and finding solace in the memories of the vibrant, loving person Alyssa was.”
