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Lancaster County's oldest cold case homicide was that of Lindy Sue Biechler whose "life was brutally taken away from her 46 years ago in the sanctity of her own home," DA Adams said.
David Vincent Sinopoli, now 69 of the 300 block of Faulkner Drive, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, aggravated assault, and burglary in connection with Biechler's death on Thursday, Oct. 19.
His plea comes 15 months after new DNA evidence led to his arrest on July 17, 2022.
Lindy was found stabbed multiple times at her Kloss Drive, Manor Township apartment after returning from the grocery store the evening of December 5, 1975, Adams explained.
Her aunt and uncle discovered her at approximately 8:46 p.m. and police arrived to find blood on the outside of the front door as well as the wall on the entranceway and several patches of blood on the carpet of the home, as stated in the press conference.
Investigators said they saw "signs of a struggle inside the apartment and observed (Lindy) lying on her back with a knife sticking out of her neck that had a tea towel wrapped around the wooden handle."
The knife was from Lindy’s own knife block, police said.
Her cause of death was ruled as "massive bleeding due to multiple stab wounds and the manner of death as homicide. Biechler had sustained 19 stab wounds to her neck, chest, upper abdomen, and back," according to the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office.
Phenotype DNA gathered from semen on her underwear was uploaded to numerous DNA studies over the decades that passed, but it was when "investigators surreptitiously obtained DNA from Sinopoli from a coffee cup he used and threw into a trash can before traveling at the Philadelphia International Airport," on February 11, 2022, that they were finally able to test and find the match.
Sinopli was 22 years old when he brutally killed the newlywed Lindy.
“David Sinopoli, you took a huge part of my life from me and caused an extraordinary amount of pain and suffering for so many people,” Phil Biechler, Lindy’s husband said. “While others had to live their life with the terrible consequences of the murder you committed, you got to live your life out. So, I have to ask you, ‘Why did you do this?’ While I forgive you because my God tells me to, you need to pay for your actions.”
During his hearing, Assistant District Attorney Christine Wilson who prosecuted the case, noted a photo of Biechler displayed next to Sinopli in the courtroom. “These cases are never forgotten. Lindy Sue will never be forgotten. While the defendant was able to carry on with his life, Lindy was extinguished by him. Look at her!” Wilson said to the Sinopli while pointing to the photo. “And the precious life you stole in 1975.”
"Sinopoli glanced at the photo without reaction," the DA said. He then replied, “I would like to apologize to everyone, including my wife."
He faces up to 50 years in prison and will also be required to pay over $25,000 in court costs for DNA lab expenses, the DA explained.
"The enormity of the damage you have caused is incomprehensible,” Lancaster County President Judge David Ashworth said “The depravity of your actions cannot be overstated.”
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