September 14, 2000 05:44am
Naked Man Shot Dead by Neighbor
Source: AP
(NORTH WALES, PA) -- A naked man who apparently became disoriented outside his home and tried to enter his next-door neighbor's house by mistake was shot to death by the homeowner, police said.
Paul Bellina shot Craig Holtzman eight times with a 9 mm handgun after he found Holtzman trying to get through a sliding glass door at 4 a.m. Wednesday, Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor said. Bellina was alerted after his burglar alarm went off.
Holtzman, 31, apparently had gone outside, then became disoriented and tried to get back into the wrong home, Castor said. The shooting took place in a townhouse complex where homes look similar.
Authorities planned to conduct tests to determine whether Holtzman was intoxicated.
Bellina, 52, said he did not recognize the man.
``Didn't know who he was. I never saw him before,'' he told WCAU-TV before declining to comment further.
Relatives said Holtzman recently moved in with his parents, who live next door to Bellina.
Authorities said Holtzman was found about eight feet from the basement door of Bellina's house. The shooting is being investigated, although Castor said he had no reason to doubt Bellina's account.
``The law is pretty clear. If someone is in your home, you are justified in using deadly force,'' he said. ``It is less clear outside of the home but still on the property.''
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