Missing report stalls Rundle sentencing

Tuesday, July 29, 2003 | 11:26 a.m.

The sentencing of William Rundle for the murder of his wife and mother was postponed this morning because a required report was missing.

District Judge Michael Cherry postponed sending Rundle to prison for two life terms after noting in a packed courtroom that the state Parole and Probation Department had not finished its pre-sentencing investigation (PSI). Family members had come to see the sentencing, but none was scheduled to speak.

Calling it a "glitch in the system," Cherry said, "It's mandatory that I have the PSI before I send somebody to prison."

The new sentencing date will be Sept. 11.

Today marked the second time Rundle's formal sentencing has been delayed. The first time, earlier this month, the lawyers had a scheduling conflict.

The sentence is already known because it was agreed upon as part of a plea bargain. Rundle avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty in May to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his wife, Shirley, 63, and his mother, Willa, 82, who was missing since 1997.

The plea came days into his murder trial for Shirley's death. Murder charges in the death of Willa, whose body has never been found, had been dismissed.

Rundle also has been ordered to pay $10,667 in restitution, which will be held in a trust fund for Shirley's granddaughter, Gretchen Belen.