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A jury has found Joseph Koenig guilty of first-degree murder in the tragic case of Alexa Bartell, who was killed when a rock was thrown through her vehicle’s windshield. Deliberations commenced on Thursday, and the jury returned a verdict in under two hours after resuming on Friday morning.
Koenig faced multiple charges in connection with Bartell’s death, including nine counts of attempted first-degree murder for allegedly targeting other vehicles with rocks. He also faced three counts of second-degree assault and six counts of attempted second-degree assault, totaling 19 charges.
While the jury found him guilty on all counts, some charges were reduced to lesser offenses. Notably, one charge of attempted first-degree murder was downgraded to attempted second-degree murder. Additionally, two counts were downgraded to attempted reckless manslaughter, and another was classified as reckless endangerment. All second-degree assault charges were changed to third-degree assault, with some attempted second-degree assaults being downgraded to attempted third-degree assaults.
During the trial, witnesses recounted their experiences as victims of the rock-throwing incidents that night.
Two co-defendants, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik and Zachary Kwak, had previously pleaded guilty for their involvement in the incident. Both testified against Koenig last week, stating that he was responsible for throwing the fatal rock. The defense challenged Karol-Chik’s credibility, highlighting prior statements where he indicated Kwak was the one who threw the last rock.
Koenig did not take the stand in his defense. Instead, his legal team called upon Laurence Steinberg, a behavioral health expert from Temple University, to argue that Koenig may not have fully grasped the repercussions of his actions. Steinberg underwent extensive cross-examination as District Attorney Katharine Decker aimed to demonstrate that teenagers can exhibit impulse control and rational thinking.
Originally slated to begin last summer, Koenig’s trial was postponed following a court-mandated psychological evaluation after his defense raised concerns regarding an ADHD diagnosis.
Closing arguments were presented Thursday morning, with the defense suggesting that Koenig’s actions amounted to manslaughter rather than murder. A prosecutor stated, “Did he make a lot of bad decisions? Yes. Knowingly and intentionally.” The defense acknowledged that Koenig committed a crime but urged the jury to find him guilty of reckless manslaughter.
Sentencing for Koenig is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on June 3, where victims and their families are expected to share their testimonies. Sentencing hearings for co-defendants Karol-Chik and Kwak are scheduled for the following week on May 1 and May 2, respectively, following the conclusion of Koenig’s trial.
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