Arrest made in fatal shooting of 83-year-old man in Fayette County

A person has been arrested in the shooting death of an 83-year-old man in Fayette County.

Norman Pennington, 65, was taken into custody, officials tell Channel 11.

The arrest comes after Anthony Dicenzo Sr., 83, was shot to death inside his car several hours after he was reported missing. The car was found abandoned at a pull-off spot along Riffle Hollow Road in German Township on Saturday.

Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele described it as a cold-blooded killing.

“He was a landlord, he owned multiple properties. As far as I heard a beloved member of this community, father, grandfather, great grandfather,” Aubele said.

Police say Dicenzo was shot twice in the head while in the front seat of his car, then moved to the backseat.

“We believe this crime was intentional and in cold blood,” Aubele said.

Investigators say Pennington and Dicenzo were longtime friends and were looking to do a business deal and buy a bar together.

“The victim was upset about $30,000 he gave to Mr. Pennington to purchase a property for which Mr. Pennington never acted upon,” Aubele said. “Mr. Pennington essentially admitting he was swindling Mr. Dicenzo out of the money and he was confronting him about that money.”

Police say Pennington confessed, but said he did it out of self-defense. The DA says there’s no evidence of a struggle.

Pennington reportedly has a long criminal history dating back to the 1980s.

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