Teen charged as adult in brutal killing of attorney s wife

10/21/2005

MARTINEZ, Calif. A 16-year-old boy was charged as an adult today in the killing of a prominent defense attorney s wife and was ordered held on $1 million bail.

The teenager, Scott Dyleski, appeared briefly in a Contra Costa County courthouse for the first time since his arrest for allegedly beating Pamela Vitale to death in her hilltop estate.

Vitale and her husband, defense lawyer and TV legal pundit Daniel Horowitz, were building their dream home in the wealthy suburb of Lafayette, about 20 miles east of San Francisco. Horowitz found his wife s body inside the home Oct. 15.

Dyleski, who lived nearby with his mother, did not enter a plea or speak during the brief appearance. His arraignment was set for Thursday.

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