Jury selection is slated for today for a woman who is charged with solicitation to commit homicide and conspiracy to homicide.
55-year-old Laraine K. Patterson of Sewickley is facing those charges in connection with a recent case involving Gregory Rouzer of Fulton County, who is currently in state prison serving time for multiple cases where he has tried to kill Randy Walters. This was the second occasion that Rouzer tried to hire someone to kill Walters. Rouzer was convicted of trying to shoot Walters in 2008, and while he was awaiting trial in 2009, he tried to hire someone to kill Walters. On this most recent occasion, in late 2015 and early 2016, he used his girlfriend, Patterson, as a go-between in the latest scheme. An undercover state trooper using the name “Joanie Pepperoni” posed as the friend of an imaginary hitman and was given money by Patterson for the hit.
Patterson is currently free on Bail. Rouzer had entered a guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy to aggravated assault, but last Monday, withdrew that plea and will now face trial. Jury selection for Rouzer’s trial will be held May 22nd. He faces charges of Conspiracy to aggravated assault, conspiracy to homicide and criminal solicitation to commit homicide.