A man is accused of strangling his mother with a phone cord, wrapping her in a garbage bag and leaving her outside in their backyard in West Mifflin.
Police responded to a report of a missing 52-year-old woman when they found her in the garbage bag dead in the 700 Block of Eastman Street around 12:45 p.m. Friday.
21-year-old Jonathan Nulty is facing charges of criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in his mother's death. She was identified by police as Helene Nulty.
When police arrived to their house Thursday looking for her Jonathan told them she was out with her boyfriend.
When the police returned Friday they found her body.
Jonathan said he killed her in self defense and he believed she physically abused him
Police said he told investigators he got into a fight with his mother on Dec. 1. He said she grabbed him by his throat, and he grabbed a phone charger cord by him to use to strangle, according to the criminal complaint.
An official cause of death will be released by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner, police said.
If anyone has information on this, they are asked to call 1-833-ALL-TIPS.
