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Michael Joseph Work, 33, shot his girlfriend 33-year-old Brandi Marie Genova three times, at their home at 13 Bestview Avenue in New Castle on Monday, and has confessed to the crime, Pennsylvania State Police explained in the affidavit.
The couple had been with their 4-year-old son when Work and Genova got into a fight over her cellphone. Work had discovered messages from other men on her phone, he later told the police.
The fight quickly turned physical and Genova pushed him in the chest, so Work pulled out his Springfield Hellcat 9-millimeter gun and shot her, according to his statement to the police.
Then he put their 4-year-old son in his 2022 Dodge Ram, got his dog, and Genova's cell phone, according to the criminal complaint.
Next, Work called his sister to talk but she was at Walmart, which is supposedly why he drove over and confessed what happened to her. His sister convinced him to turn himself over to the police, according to the affidavit.
State Troopers arrived to arrest him at the Walmart plaza in Union Township at 8:45 p.m. He dropped to the ground with blood on his hands and pants, according to the court documents.
All of Work's confessions were made after he was read his rights and after he agreed to answer questions without an attorney present, the complaint states.
Work has no previous criminal record in the state, and has never even committed a traffic offense, according to court documents.
Work has been charged with criminal homicide and a misdemeanor for possession of a weapon, as detailed in his docket. He is being held in the Lawrence County Jail after being denied bail, by Magisterial District Judge Melissa A. Amodie per state law for the charges.
His preliminary hearing has been set before Judge Amodie at 11 a.m. on June 28, 2023, according to his court docket.
Genova was found by State Troopers with three gunshot wounds to the head lying on their living room by the end of their sofa shortly after Work's arrest, as detailed in court documents.
Her friends and family have been sharing their loss on social media.
An autopsy for Genova was scheduled for Tuesday evening at Heritage Valley Health System in Beaver County.
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