Man to stand trial in death of man found stuffed in suitcase

    A man must stand trial on criminal homicide and other charges for allegedly beating and stabbing a man whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase near Philadelphia International Airport.

    Two cellmates testified Tuesday that 25-year-old Thomas Brennan, of Folsom, acknowledged killing 41-year-old Scott Bernheisel, including sticking a knife through his throat so it would appear he was killed by Italian mobsters or Mexican drug dealers.

    Defense attorney Perry de Marco Sr. argued that Brennan killed Bernheisel in self-defense, only after the victim pressed Brennan to have sex.

    One of Brennan’s cellmates testified that Bernheisel supposedly pressured the suspect to sell him methamphetamine, then offered to trade drugs for sex when he refused. The other inmate’s testimony dealt with the drug dealing, but not the sexual angle.

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    A dog walker found Bernheisel’s body in May.

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