Grand Jury Indicts Albright

A grand jury on Tuesday indicted Monty Albright with first-degree murder in connection with the slaying of a local property appraiser.

The panel of jurors also charged Albright, 35, with kidnapping and fraudulent use of a credit card. The charges stem from Jan. 19 when Albright overpowered Steven Van Slyke inside his Cherry Street home, tied him up and stole his credit card, investigators allege.

After withdrawing the maximum amount of cash from Van Slyke's bank account, Albright returned to Cherry Street and strangled Van Slyke, 58, with a ligature, according to an arrest report.

Assistant State Attorney Pete Magrino explained on Wednesday that the "kidnapping" charge shouldn't be interpreted in the conventional sense. Rather, it's similar to a false imprisonment charge. The difference is that Albright kept Van Slyke bound in order to commit a felony, which upgrades the seriousness of the offense, Magrino said.

Magrino declined to comment on why there was no burglary charge because grand jury discussions are not public information.