A Pennsylvania woman, aged 37, has been sentenced to 40 to 80 years in a state correctional facility for the brutal murder of a 66-year-old man. Marisa Jean Rodriguez confessed to shooting Michael Maisner, dismembering his body with a chainsaw bought with his money, and burning his remains in his backyard firepit. The sentence was handed down by Erie County Judge Daniel J. Brabender Jr. on Monday.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty but mentally ill in August to a series of felonies, including third-degree murder and abuse of a corpse. Initially, she was facing a first-degree murder charge, but it was reduced after she struck a deal with the Erie County District Attorney’s Office. Rodriguez also pleaded guilty to criminal mischief, possession of an instrument of a crime, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, theft, tampering with evidence, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Before delivering the maximum sentence permitted by law, Judge Brabender commented on the horrific nature of the case, describing it as the worst series of facts he had ever heard in a courtroom. The crime was uncovered on April 12, 2023, when Maisner’s worried family members, who hadn’t heard from him in about two weeks, visited his home in Summit Township. They found no trace of Maisner but discovered Rodriguez living in the attic, where she had reportedly resided for several months before the murder.
The following day, authorities conducted a welfare check at Maisner’s home. They discovered a missing section of carpet and padding, possible human tissue, blood splatter, cleaning items, and bleach-stained clothing. Bizarre writings were also found on the walls of the home. In the firepit, investigators found charred human remains and burned bone fragments, later identified as Maisner’s through DNA testing.
After killing Maisner, Rodriguez drove his Cadillac STX about 40 miles to his house in New York, where she was arrested the next day on car theft charges. She was extradited to Pennsylvania to face murder charges. During questioning, she admitted to living in Maisner’s attic for up to three months and made comments about him being dead, although she claimed not to know how he died.
Adam Maisner, the victim’s nephew, told local media that his uncle had allowed Rodriguez to stay with him to help around the house. He described his uncle as a laid-back man who was looking forward to golfing and riding his motorcycle after getting his hips replaced.
Authorities linked Rodriguez to the murder through her online searches, which included phrases like “how to shoot someone,” “how long does it take to burn a dead body,” and “cutting a dead body with a chainsaw.” In her online account, authorities found a video of Rodriguez obtaining Maisner’s debit card PIN, a photo of a .357 revolver, and photos and videos of a deceased Maisner with a gunshot wound to the back of the head and torso.
Rodriguez was initially deemed unfit to stand trial in January. A psychiatrist diagnosed her with schizophrenia during an exam in lockup and reported that Rodriguez had made comments about the Bible and “how cats were her best friends.” While in custody at the Erie County Prison, she wrote rambling handwritten letters to her lawyer, expressing confusion about her actions.