ROSTRAVER, Pa. — The man accused of shooting and killing his girlfriend in the basement of their home in February faced a judge for the first time Tuesday afternoon.
Robert Chaplin, 34, is charged with criminal homicide in the case. Police say he killed Estela Rivera Vasquez, who he had been dating and living with for several years.
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Only Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek was there to question Chaplin as deputies escorted him from his preliminary hearing.
“Do you have anything to say?” Havranek asked. “Did you shoot your girlfriend?”
Chaplin remained silent.
Magistrate Judge John Christner sent the criminal homicide charge to county court.
Rostraver Police Detective Raymond Dugan testified that Chaplin told police he woke up that day around 1 p.m. His girlfriend, Vasquez — who went by Aby — got home from work around 4 p.m.
Dugan said the two were bickering, but went to the Shop n’ Save just a few miles away from their home. There, Dugan said Chaplin hit a pole in the parking lot, damaging his car.
He said this made Chaplin mad and that Chaplin wanted to shoot his car. While at the Shop n’ Save, Dugan said Chaplin went to the store to buy alcohol and went back home.
There, Dugan said Chaplin told police he suspected Vasquez was cheating on him, and he wanted to leave her, and then became angry.
That’s when police say Chaplin shot her. According to court documents, Chaplin said it was an accident, but police found several shell casings at the scene and one gunshot wound.
Vasquez was a beloved employee at Sarris Candies in Washington County. Channel 11 spoke with the owner, Bill Sarris, after Vasquez died.
“It’s devastating, she was a wonderful person, loved working here, it was all over her social media page,” Sarris told Channel 11′s Cara Sapida. “She brought people in from Guatemala, all great workers and she was their translator. She was the one who did all the connecting with everybody, everybody loved her.”
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During Tuesday’s hearing, police said Chaplin admitted to shooting Vasquez. Her three children from another relationship were home at the time and are being cared for by relatives.
Chaplin remains in the Westmoreland County Prison without bond. He’s due back in court in April.
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