This Day in Norwood History-March 9, 1955-Prosecutor Claims Peter Plotted Murder

 Peter Makarewicz, 15, of Norwood, deliberately plotted the murder of Geraldine Annese, the prosecution charged in its opening to a Superior Court jury here this afternoon.

“He (Peter) planned this while lying beside his baby sister while she went to sleep sometime between 9 and 9:30 that night.” (the night of the slaying), Dist Atty. Myron N, Lane thundered to the 14-man all-male panel.

The gangling, handsome youth “did premeditate the murder with, malice aforethought,” the prosecutor said as he concluded his 33-minute outline of the state’s evidence in the Nov. 4 death of the 15-year-old Norwood girl.

“This girl fought for her honor and for her life,” the District Attorney said as he graphically related details of her strangulation in the two-car Tremont st. – garage, a bare stone’s throw from Peter’s, home, which overlooked Geraldine ‘s.

A scarce half-hour after arriving at the decision, the boy lay in wait for the girl in the garage, lured her there, strangled her, disrobed her . and attacked her, the District Attorney contended.

Among the 40-odd spectators in the second-floor courtroom was the slain girl’s 63-year-old father, Joseph Annese, who sat a scant 12 feet from the dock holding the youth, charged with slaying his daughter. Peter’s parents awaited outside in the corridor, barred from the courtroom because they are to be witnesses. Both saw the boy briefly during an afternoon recess,

Promises Damaging Evidence

Lane said the state has this damaging evidence against Peter:

1. He confessed to the murder in the presence of a half-dozen authorities.

2. He admitted it again when authorities permitted his father to converse with him.

3. Blood found on his clothing and body consistent with Geraldine Annese’s type.

4. His fingerprints were found on two automobiles parked in the garage where the slaying took place.

5. Testimony that he probably overheard a conversation in which Geraldine Inadvertently disclosed that she would return home about 10 p. m. (approximately the time of the slaying).

After his fiery opening, Lane began unraveling the case the prosecution has spun against Peter. The boy sat calmly, at times hunched forward, during the district attorney’s delivery. His face appeared more flushed than usual.

Girl Friend First Witness

First witness was Cynthia Savage, 15, of Dean St., Norwood, the slain girl’s closest friend. Clad in typical teenage dress of print skirt, pink sweater, with sleeves carelessly pushed up to the elbow,

Cynthia appeared at ease on the stand and withstood a withering cross-examination by Defense Counsel Louis Goldstein. Cynthia told in direct examination of remaining away from the Peabody School with her classmate, Geraldine on the day of the murder and of a double date the two went on that evening.

She said three boys from Walpole picked the girls up near Weisman’s Variety Store in South Norwood. It was there, the state contends, that Peter, reading a book, overheard Geraldine tell Cynthia she had to be home at 10p.m.

This was just prior to the girl’s meeting their dates around 1 p.m. Geraldine’s date was identified as Robert Durning. It was his car they used. Cynthia’s date was Theodore “Teddy” Baker.

Along for the ride was Donald Schaier.

First stop was the Red Dam, a swimming hole in Franklin. . Cynthia explained they wanted to see “what it looked like after the .hurricane.” Atty. Goldstein asked whether she knew if the locale was used by petters. Cynthia replied, “No.”

Admits Both Were Kissed

But while there, the girl admitted under questioning by Goldstein, Geraldine was kissed by her date and Cynthia by hers.

Driving to the Red Dam the three boys had ridden In the front seat. Upon leaving, Cynthia and Baker rode in the back seat and Geraldine sat in front between Durning and Schaler. The latter was the State’s second witness.

The group stopped at Durnings, then dropped off Schaier at his home. Schaier estimated the time at around 9 p.m. as “Dragnet” was on TV when he arrived home. He said he watched the program and went to bed.

The two girls and two boys drove around a. bit, stopping off at several places, once to have. milkshake. Then, Cynthia related, the boys dropped Geraldine off near her home and the near hers. She estimated the time at around 10.

Scratch Led to Arrest

Lane, in his opening, contended that Peter slipped from his house at the hour he knew the girl would arrive home and hid himself in the garage. The District Attorney said he called to her from the garage and the girl went there because the boy said he had something to tell her.

The killer “squeezed her around the neck until her hands no longer moved,” the prosecutor said. Then, he continued, the slayer tore the girl’s clothes off and violated her. Following this, he added, the murderer fled the garage, breaking the top of a picket on a fence in his haste to leave.

The District Attorney disclosed that in her fight for her honor and life that the girl inflicted with a fingernail the minor laceration which proved a vital clew leading to Peter’s arrest.

The boy was noticed “hanging around” the garage on the day after the slaying by an alert police officer who observed the slight cut on his face. After the police questioned a number of people, Peter eventually was asked to coma to the police station. . .

Says Father Heard Confession

There police allege and Lane elaborated in his opening, the boy said conflicting stories. The boy contended he received the facial cut while playing football.

But, Lane continued, the boy was unable to explain how blood had gotten onto his skin and clothing. At first, Lane contended, the boy said it was from the facial laceration and then from a blackbird he had killed.

On Saturday, after Peter had slept for a few hours, police began questioning the boy again. This time they showed him the gloves and dungarees.

“He swept the clothes off the deck with a violent restore . . . and broke down,” Lane said, recalling the scene leading up to the confession the prosecution allegedly has.

The District Attorney said the boy then admitted everything and reiterated it when he was confronted by his father after the parent was called by authorities.

The bor then reenacted the crime for authorities. Lane said.

Present besides the District Attorney at the confession, Lane said, were State Police Lt William H. Daley, T Sgt Walter Bodagian, Police Chief Mark Folan, Police Lt James Murphy and clerk George Kenney.