Delgross guilty in Orange beating death

It took only a couple of hours today for a jury to find Gary Delgross guilty of second-degree murder in the fatal beating of an Orange County man with a carpenter’s level.

According to authorities, Delgross, 55, of Orange, killed his neighbor in August 2008 after a night of verbal sparring escalated into a deadly physical confrontation.

Delgross struck Holland James Penton several times with a 4-foot, metal-edged carpenter’s level, according to Orange County Commonwealth’s Attorney Diana Wheeler.

At least one of those blows, she said, was the cause of Penton’s death.

Wheeler said Delgross acted with premeditation when he killed Penton. But Delgross’ attorney, Michael Hallahan said his client had acted in self-defense.

Jurors recommended Delgross be sentenced to 20 years in prison. He will return to court for a sentencing hearing Feb. 26.

Read the full story in Saturday’s Daily Progress.