Man Denied Bail in Hitman Retrial

WALTHAM, MA - A former Waltham man granted a retrial last year in a murder-for-hire plot was denied bail Monday as he awaits a new trial.

James Brescia was originally found guilty of paying a hitman $10,000 to kill his estranged wife's lover, 39-year-old Edward Schiller, who was shot in the back of the head in a Newton parking garage on Jan. 13, 2006.

Brescia's first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder convictions were overturned after it was determined he suffered a stroke during his testimony, leaving him confused and disoriented while on the stand.

However, a judge ordered that Brescia remain behind bars until his new trial, the Lowell Sun reported.

The hired killer, Dracut resident Scott Foxworth, was convicted of murder in the first degree and conspiracy to commit murder in 2008. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Schiller's death was featured on both Dateline NBC and ABC's 20/20, the latter focusing on Brescia's wife, Stacey Rock, who had rekindled her relationship with her high school sweetheart, Schiller.