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The chief executive officer of the Cables Services Company, Kenneth Michaels, was arrested Friday morning in Cape May, New Jersey and charged with last month's murder of his brother-in-law and former business partner, John Roskowski, according to Lycoming County District Attorney Ryan Gardner.
Roskowski, 69, of Williamsport, was shot to death in the company's lobby at 2113 Marydale Ave. in Old Lycoming Township about 10:45 a.m. on Aug. 17.
Michaels, 65, of 1456 Tallman Hollow Road, Montoursville, and who is married to Roskowski's sister, has been charged by Lycoming Regional police with one count each of criminal homicide and possession of an instrument of crime.
As a former owner of the company, Roskowski "occasionally stopped by to visit with his son and other employees or to have his vehicle serviced (there)," according to an affidavit prepared by Detectives Justin Segura and Jordan Mahosky, and made public Friday after Michaels' arrest.
On Aug. 16 Roskowski was allowed access to the property as employees "worked on his vehicle," the affidavit said.
However, when Michaels learned of this, he "warned his employees that Roskowski was not welcomed on the property anymore," investigators were told. "Michaels was unhappy with his employees' decision of allowing Roskowski" on the premises.
When the former owner returned to Cable Services the next day, Aug. 17, to chat with employees and ask if his son was working, the employees informed him that Michaels prohibited him from being at the company.
Roskowski became angry, drove to the administrative office wing of the building and began buzzing the front door, which was locked.
"Michaels could hear the buzzer sounding continuously from his office and was told by his receptionist that Roskowski was at the door," police said.
"Prior to marching down the hallway to confront Roskowski, Michaels reached into his desk drawer and relieved a loaded handgun, putting it in his pocket, concealing it from view," police said.
Michaels later admitted to investigators that he "brought the handgun to the office the morning of the shooting," Segura and Mahosky said in the affidavit.
Michaels also admitted that he "only retrieved the weapon from his desk after being told that Roskowski was outside the entrance ringing the buzzer," court documents stated. Police said Michaels told them he was aware that there was a canister of mace also in his desk.
"After placing the weapon in his pocket, Michaels walked past several occupied offices, entered the lobby and opened the front door," allowing his brother-in-law to enter, police said.
"After words were exchanged" between the two, Michaels pulled out the gun and shot Roskowski once in the abdomen, police alleged. "A few moments before firing the fatal shot, Michaels directed a secretary to call 911," the affidavit stated.
In listening to the 911 recording of the secretary's call, "Roskowski can be heard calling Michaels a coward," police said.
When officers arrived, Michaels surrendered the gun and "admitted to being the shooter."
Roskowski, whose father started the company in the mid-1960s, was rushed to UPMC Williamsport, where he was pronounced dead in the emergency room. An autopsy determined that he "died as a result of a gunshot wound to the abdomen, which damaged his aorta and caused massive internal bleeding," the affidavit stated.
Michaels told detectives his brother-in-law "never had any physical contact with him" prior to the shooting, police added.
Michaels said Roskowski was unarmed and "made no threats of any kind," the detectives said.
"Michaels claimed the victim took several steps toward him and then lunged in his direction, taking a few additional steps at which time Michaels shot him," police said.
"The physical evidence at the scene, including the position of Roskowski's body, was not consistent with Michaels' statement," investigators said.
Several employees told investigators that they believed "the shooting was preventable," and that Roskowski was "in poor health."
Michaels will be arraigned here once he is extradited.