Jurors began deliberations Wednesday in the trial of Michael Wehrung, charged with bludgeoning his teen-aged girlfriend Patricia Ann Rebholz to death 38 years ago.

        The Springfield Township man is charged with second-degree murder. The case was reopened in 1999.

        After seven days of testimony, the case went to the jury just after 12:30 p.m. Deliberations continued until 9 p.m. and were to resume this morning.

        In closing arguments, prosecutors said Mr. Wehrung, now a 54-year-old grandfather and roofing company executive, had no alibi and gave conflicting statements to police.

        But the defense argued that Mr. Wehrung was home at the time of the Greenhills cheerleader's death and there is no physical evidence linking him to it.

        The two had been dating. Prosecutors say Mr. Wehrung became upset because Patty wanted to end the relationship. They said Mr. Wehrung had the means, motive and opportunity to kill Patty.

        They say his own words to investigators in 1963 are sufficient to convict him.

        When he was 15, Mr. Wehrung told investigators that he “thought it was him who killed Pat. In fact, he was sure he did but he couldn't remember anything about it,” the investigating officer wrote in a report at the time.

        During closing arguments, the defense played down Mr. Wehrung's statement, asking why police didn't charge him in 1963 if the statement was so damning. At the time, Mr. Wehrung was declared a ward of the court and sent to school out-of-state.

        If he is convicted, he could face a life sentence.

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