Pittsburgh-Area Attorney Dies Following Police Confrontation

MURRYSVILLE, PA ? Westmoreland County attorney Robert Klingensmith died Wednesday, four days after shooting himself during a bloody standoff with police.

Klingensmith had to be tased during the confrontation on Saturday.

According to the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office, Klingensmith last week was charged with theft, financial exploitation of older adult or care dependent person, theft by failure to make required payment or disposition of funds.

Detectives were alerted to the alleged theft and misappropriation of entrusted funds by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's disciplinary board.

An investigator with the disciplinary board received a referral in regard to suspicious activity involving Klingensmith's iolta account and turned it over to the Westmoreland County Detective Bureau. An iolta account is a trust account used by attorneys to hold a client's funds separate
from a business/professional account.

Detectives were provided copies of financial accounts and documents related to the handling of a local woman's estate.

According to detectives, Klingensmith was hired in September of 2021 and gained access and control of the victim's financial accounts. The victim died on April 5, 2022.

County detectives reviewed financial activity from August of 2021 to March of 2024 and discovered more than $311,000, in total, allegedly was misappropriated through a series of bank transactions from the victim's account to Klingensmith's account or through ATM withdrawals and/or
checks.

Detectives alleged Klingensmith failed to meet his fiduciary obligations as the victim's attorney, agent for her power of attorney, and executor of her estate.

Investigators also determined Klingensmith failed to file an inheritance tax return, failed to make inheritance tax payments, and failed to make any disbursements to the victim's four heirs.

ily may never see the money, but he hopes justice will be served.