TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Suncoast Pasco News

2nd Girlfriend Convicted In Pasco Man's Murder

ADVERTISEMENT

By TODD LESKANIC | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 10, 2008

Peggy Sue Abbott

NEW PORT RICHEY - The second woman charged with killing her 47-year-old boyfriend in what authorities called a ménage a trois gone bad pleaded guilty to second-degree murder today.

Peggy Sue Abbott, 40, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for her role in the March 2005 murder of Jerome Selby. Melody Samion pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2007 and received the same sentence.

Abbott insisted on entering the plea, despite the advice of her attorney, Keith Hammond, and two mental health counselors.

Hammond said he was in favor of going to trial.

"This was one of the best insanity cases I've ever seen," he said.

Abbott faced a life sentence and feared dying alone in prison, Hammond said. Abbott could be out of prison when she is in her early 60s if she stays out of trouble while incarcerated.

Selby died of asphyxiation inside the home he shared with the women on Clear Lake Drive in Moon Lake. Samion told investigators she laced Selby's beer with eight 200-milligram pills of Seroquel, a psychotropic drug used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Abbott has been diagnosed with both those conditions.

After Selby lost consciousness, the women smothered him with a pillow and strangled him with a swimsuit string. They then hit him on the head with a pot, burned his chest with a cigarette and tied garbage bags over his head.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (727) 815-1084 or tleskanic@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT