Man To Stand Trial For 2001 Murder Of New Port Richey Resident

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL -- New Port Richey Police have made an arrest in an 18-year-old murder case.

On Nov. 28, 2001, the New Port Richey Police Department investigated a homicide at 4725 Sanctuary Drive in New Port Richey. The victim, Simon Clark, 41, died of blunt force trauma.

Randy Petersilge, 52, was identified as a suspect in the homicide at the time. However, there wasn't enough evidence to make an arrest.

In 2017, New Port Richey detectives reopened the case. Detective Joseph Ioppolo conducted additional interviews and gathered more evidence, leading to a grand jury indicting Petersilge on Jan. 11, 2018, on one count of first-degree murder.

Petersilge was in federal prison at the time of the indictment. A detainment order was placed on him so New Port Richey Police could arrest him for the homicide upon his release.

That occurred April 5. Petersilge was placed under arrest by New Port Richey Police on the first-degree murder charge and will be transported to the Land O' Lakes Detention Center to await trial for the murder of Clark.