Guilty plea in baseball-bat slaying

A LANDLORD WHO bludgeoned a tenant with a baseball bat after a dispute over rent - then built a coffin for his remains - pleaded guilty Thursday to third-degree murder.

Miguel Davilla, 31, immediately was sentenced by Common Pleas Judge Linda Carpenter to the maximum 20 to 40 years in state prison.

Davilla's road to prison began Feb. 28, 2009, when he tried to evict Ruben Woodsen, 53, from a Fairmount boardinghouse, on Croskey Street near Eastern State Penitentiary.

While Davila was changing the door lock, Woodsen returned, a confrontation ensued, and Davilla struck him 10 times in the head and body with a bat, fracturing his skull.

Davilla then cobbled together an 8-foot coffin from scrap wood and old doors.

After spotting the coffin in the living room the day after Wooden disappeared, another tenant called police, who discovered Wooden's remains and arrested Davilla.

Police also found power tools and reference books on home carpentry throughout the room.