Pennsylvania man allegedly kills girlfriend in front of kids

A Pennsylvania man allegedly admitted to beating and strangling his girlfriend to death in front of her two young daughters as one of them pleaded, “Please stop. You are killing my mom,” authorities said.

Thadius McGrath, 35, was charged with first and third-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child on Tuesday over the slaying of his 31-year-old girlfriend Samantha Rementer in Bucks County.

McGrath, who authorities say tried to kill himself in the aftermath, admitted to murdering Rementer in their home on June 8 “after she made me mad,” according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Courier Times.

He allegedly told cops he hit Rementer with a black step ladder and a lamp in her daughters’ bedroom. He then allegedly strangled his girlfriend with the lamp cord, the affidavit said.

McGrath said Rementer’s children, aged 5 and 2, watched on as the brutal slaying unfolded, according to the affidavit.

“Please stop. Please stop. You are killing my mom,” Rementer’s eldest daughter begged at the time.

Authorities came across the gruesome scene after McGrath’s mother alerted 911 after receiving a “possibly suicidal” call from him.

Rementer’s eldest daughter opened the door covered in blood, the affidavit said. Her younger sister was found sitting in a high chair inside the home.

“(McGrath) killed mommy because she was annoying him and then (McGrath) shot himself accidentally,” the eldest daughter told police, according to the affidavit.

Police found McGrath in one of the bedrooms with a gunshot wound to his face. He was still hospitalized at Philadelphia’s Penn Presbyterian Medical Center as of Tuesday.

Rementer was found dead in the bedroom with blunt force trauma to her face and the lamp cord still wrapped around her neck.

“This man murdered Ms Rementer in front her children, then unsuccessfully tried to take his own life”, Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub said. 

“I cannot think of two more cowardly acts.  He will now be made to pay an exacting price for his crimes.” 

The little girls, whose father died of a heart attack in February last year, were in the custody of their maternal grandfather, authorities said.