Eric Kortz, Man Accused Of Shooting, Killing Postal Worker, Appears Before Federal Judge In Preliminary Hearing

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The man charged with the death of a postal worker appeared in front of a federal judge.

Eric Kortz had his preliminary hearing on Tuesday. Kortz appeared from the Allegheny County Jail in the virtual hearing.

His lawyer asked the judge to drop all charges. He argued the government did not prove Kortz is the one who shot and killed Louis Vignone despite his alleged confession.

Police say Kortz admitted to shooting and killing Vignone while he was on his route in Collier Township last week.

(Photo Credit: Aaron Sledge/KDKA Photojournalist)

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Darren Gerlach, a homicide detective with the Allegheny County Police, was called to testify, and video from a Carnegie Police officer's body camera inside the station on the day of the shooting was also shown.

In the video, Kortz is seen casually sitting on a bench inside the station when officers came in and asked him what was going on. Kortz told the officer he was there to turn himself in for "killing the mailman a minute ago."

Kortz told police he believed Vignone had poisoned him and his family with cyanide years earlier when they were neighbors.

In the end, a judge ruled Kortz will be held for trial. Kortz is still being held without bond in the county jail.

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