Springfield man convicted of killing neighbor, burning home

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - A Springfield man has been convicted of killing his neighbor and burning her home after a dispute about a property line.

Pavel Samsinak was convicted Friday of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, arson and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors said he killed 66-year-old Alice Hale in September 2020 and then set her house on fire to conceal evidence.

KYTV reports testimony during the trial indicated Samsinak and Hale had argued over a property line.

Hale was found dead in her burning home but investigators later determined she had been beaten before the fire started. Sentencing is scheduled for May 11.