SPEERS, Pa. -- A man who allegedly told FBI agents where to find the body of a missing 8-year-old girl was charged with her murder early Wednesday morning, WTAE Action News reports.
Charles Edward Koschalk, 34, of Monessen, Westmoreland County, was arraigned on a charge of criminal homicide in the death of Annette Bright (pictured, left), also of Monessen.
The Westmoreland County Coroner's office said the girl died of a gunshot wound to the head.
Bright's family had not seen her since she left the house after an argument Sunday morning and said she was going to see a friend.
According to the official police complaint, Koschalk admitted to shooting Bright and leaving her body in a wooded area near some train tracks, just off Interstate 70 and close to the Monessen-Rostraver border. Before that, WTAE-TV's Marcie Cipriani reports that he had joined dozens of volunteers in searching for the girl.
WTAE reported at noon Thursday that Koschalk told police that he shot the girl by accident.
Police were searching Koschalk's 3rd Street house in Monessen Thursday, but as of noon investigators had not removed anything from the residence, Cipriani reports.
The girl's body was identified early Wednesday afternoon based on the clothes Bright was wearing when she was last seen and a description provided by her family.
Koschalk (pictured, left) has a criminal history with the Bright family, Cipriani reports. He took Bright's 12-year-old sister Marcia from her home in March 2000 and eventually pleaded guilty to corruption of a minor. He served nine months in prison and was on parole.
John Bright told WTAE's Jon Greiner that he believes Koschalk killed his daughter because Koschalk wasn't able to see Marcia Bright. John Bright said that he told Koschalk Saturday to stay away from his kids after Koschalk asked his wife if he could take their son for a ride.
John Bright believes that Koschalk was trying to get each member of the family alone, Greiner reports. Koschalk asked John Bright Monday during the search if he wanted to go look for the girl with him. Koschalk did get the mother and a family friend in a car Monday to search, but they soon got out and walked.
"I think because he couldn't be around Marcia, he had it in to kill everyone but Marcia," he said.
John Bright told Greiner that Koschalk, who wasn't allowed to be in contact with Marcia Bright, had seen his 12-year-old daughter recently in Greensburg and that the family had reported him to police.
"I guess the warden never came out," John Bright said. "Now my daughter is dead because he wasn't in jail for breaking his probation. I'm sure there's more I could have done or my wife could have done, but who was to know that this was going to happen?"
According to court records, on March 4 last year Koschalk picked up Marcia Bright and took her on a shopping trip without her parents' permission.
The Brights reported Marcia missing, but Koschalk called the house. The Brights told him to bring the girl home, but Kolshak and the girl spent the night in his truck and he brought her home the following morning.
Prosecutors dropped charges of unlawful restraint, endangering the welfare of children and interfering with custody of children, while Koschalk pleaded guilty to corruption of minors and received a 23-month sentence. A judge gave him time served (nine months) and ordered him not to have any other contact with the girl or with any other minors, WTAE's Emily Ryan reports.
Annette Bright's aunt and uncle, Rose Hower and Charles Bright, said that they warned Annette's parents to keep Koschalk away from their family, but Koschalk regained the Brights' trust.
"Me and my wife warned John all the time to keep the kids away from Chuck," Charles Bright said.
Charles Bright told WTAE that Koschalk kept in touch with Marcia by using walkie-talkies and beepers.
Neighbors told Cipriani that Koschalk was often seen at the Brights' home. FBI agents would not comment, other than to confirm that there was a relationship between the suspect and the victim's family.
"He was one of the people known to the family," District Attorney John Peck said. "For that fact, he was a person to be interviewed."
Peck said that attorney Jeff Monzo would defend Koschalk. When asked whether Monzo was present when his client allegedly confessed, Peck would not comment.
Koschalk was being held without bond in Westmoreland County Prison. A preliminary hearing before District Justice Joseph Dalfonso was set for July 27 at 10 a.m.
Police were searching Koschalk's home for more evidence.
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