Bucks County jury convicts Trevor Weigel of first-degree murder in ‘rage-fueled’ killing
In a courtroom heavy with the memory of a life tragically cut short, a Bucks County jury on Friday convicted Trevor Weigel of first-degree murder for the brutal February 2024 slaying of 19-year-old Jaden Battista in Lower Makefield Township.
The conviction ensures that the Churchville man will face a mandatory sentence of life in prison when he goes before Common Pleas Judge Charissa J. Liller for a March 23 sentencing hearing.
The jury took just over an hour to return a verdict, finding Weigel, 25, of Churchville, guilty of first-degree murder, burglary, criminal attempted kidnapping, possession of an instrument of crime, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, evading arrest, and disorderly conduct. Liller also found him guilty of a summary count of harassment.
Throughout the trial, Deputy District Attorney Alan J. Garabedian argued that the cold-blooded killing was a premeditated act fueled by rage and obsession after Battista ended the couple’s short-lived relationship.
