Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced to 40–80 Years for Killing, Dismembering, and Burning Man’s Body in Backyard Firepit

ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA — A 37-year-old woman in Pennsylvania who shot, dismembered, and burned the remains of a 66-year-old man whose home she had been living in was sentenced Monday to 40 to 80 years in state prison, officials announced.

According to Erie County Judge Daniel J. Brabender Jr., Marisa Jean Rodriguez received the maximum sentence for the 2023 murder of Michael Maisner, calling the case “the worst series of facts I’ve ever heard in a courtroom.”

Killed Man, Bought Chainsaw With His Money, Then Burned His Remains

Court documents reveal that Rodriguez shot Maisner inside his Summit Township home, then used his debit card to purchase a chainsaw from a local Walmart. She later told police, “I cut him up.”

After dismembering the victim, Rodriguez burned the remains in his backyard firepit, police said.

Rodriguez pleaded guilty but mentally ill in August to multiple felony charges, including third-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, theft, and tampering with evidence.

Discovery of the Crime

The case came to light on April 12, 2023, when Maisner’s family, who had not heard from him in two weeks, visited his home on Crestview Drive. They found Rodriguez living in his attic, where she had reportedly stayed for months before the murder.

The next day, police arrived for a welfare check and discovered disturbing evidence — including missing carpet sections, blood splatter, bleach-stained clothing, and human tissue inside the home.

In the firepit, investigators found charred human remains, carpet fragments, and bone pieces, later identified through DNA testing as belonging to Maisner.

“This was a gruesome, methodical killing followed by an attempt to erase every trace of the victim,” prosecutors said in a statement.

Digital Evidence Revealed a Chilling Plan

According to police, Rodriguez’s online search history included phrases such as:

• “How long does it take to burn a dead body”
• “Cutting a dead body with a chainsaw”
• “If you shoot someone in the head they die instantly”

Authorities also discovered videos and photos on her phone showing Maisner’s body, a .357 revolver, and footage of Rodriguez using the victim’s bank card.

Rodriguez spent nearly $600 of his money — including on the chainsaw used in the dismemberment.

Judge Calls Crime ‘Unimaginable’

During sentencing, Judge Brabender described the details of the crime as “beyond comprehension.”

“This is probably the worst case I have ever presided over,” he said. “It’s difficult to even articulate the horror of what was done to this man.”

Rodriguez, diagnosed with schizophrenia, was initially ruled incompetent to stand trial earlier this year. Psychiatric evaluations described her as delusional and unstable, though she was later deemed fit for prosecution.

In court, she expressed confusion about her actions, writing in a jailhouse letter, “I don’t know why I acted the way I did with the body. Traumatized. Still am.”

The case has drawn statewide attention for its brutality and the mental health questions surrounding the defendant. For continuing updates on Pennsylvania crime and court coverage, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.