GreatLakeState
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- Apr 22, 2005
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If so, keep your daughters (and moms, apparently) away from David
Kircus ...
Woman's killer sentenced; Shelby family still baffled
Imlay City man gets 19 years in prison for honeymoon killing
PUBLISHED: March 2, 2005
By Jameson Cook
Macomb Daily Staff Writer
Jeff Alexandrowicz still doesn't understand it and probably never will. His
children probably won't either.
After a year and a half, they can't comprehend why Catherine
Alexandrowicz, 47, a seemingly happy Shelby Township homemaker, left
her family to marry Anthony Kircus, which turned out to be fatal decision.
Kircus, 33, formerly of Imlay City, was sentenced last week to 19 years in
prison by Judge Jeffrey Cates of Maricopa County Superior Court after
pleading guilty to second-degree murder for killing Catherine
Alexandrowicz in a Scottsdale, Ariz., hotel room while on their
honeymoon in 2003. Catherine Alexandrowicz had divorced her husband
Aug. 22, 2003, and married Kircus nine days later in Las Vegas.
Within a week of the marriage, she was left for dead in the hotel room,
brutally beaten and strangled by Kircus, who returned to Las Vegas to
gamble. Police arrested him within days in Vegas.
Catherine had met Kircus only about three months before their marriage
and had been socializing with a new group of friends as divorce
proceedings were ongoing.
At Friday's sentencing, Kircus told the judge he and Catherine were both
drunk when he killed her. He said he loved her and that they were
brought together "because we accepted each other's drinking," according
to an article in the East Valley Tribune newspaper in Arizona.
Police said Kircus had badly beaten Catherine in a Macomb Township
apartment a few weeks before her death.
Jeff Alexandrowicz told The Macomb Daily that although he is glad the
case is now over, after several delays in the outcome, the sentencing
didn't bring answers.
"I can't explain why a mother would abandon her five beautiful children
(now ages 3 to 16) for the sake of alcohol, nor explain her willingness to
marry a brutal stranger," Jeff said. "I can only say with certainty that she
lost a very long battle with her demon and it is very, very sad.
"The kids will forever search for answers to the question why. They know
how much she suffered and how horrifically she died. They will always
miss their mother and deal with the tremendous sadness."
Catherine's sister, Linda Kennedy, who lives in Arizona, told the
newspaper that her sister's relationship with Kircus was a "deep, dark
secret" and if the family had known about Kircus' background, they would
have intervened. It was revealed that Kircus had spent time in prison for a
drunken-driving crash and embezzlement, and had been accused of
choking and beating a former girlfriend in 2001.
Kircus is the brother of Detroit Lions wide receiver David Kircus.
The judge told Kircus he was fortunate because he will be able to leave
prison when he is 52. Jeff Alexandrowicz said Kircus is fortunate that
Arizona law is lenient and he should spend the rest of his life incarcerated
because the crime impacted so many people.
"Every holiday the children will have a cloud hanging over them," he said.
"They will miss their mother when they skin their knees, graduate, get
married and have babies."
Although the Alexandrowiczes had problems in their marriage, connected
to her drinking, she was described by relatives as being a good mother.
She was a Sunday school instructor and participated with her children in
activities in the neighborhood.
The family is recovering from the tragic turn of events, moving on with
their lives and are handling the emotional aftermath as well as can be
expected, said Jeff, who is getting married in July to a woman who has
three children. His children are active in school activities such as sports
and cheerleading, and their academics.
"The sun rises and each new day these five children rise to every
opportunity and obstacle life has for them with conquering smiles," he
said. "Don't get in their way. They are truly remarkable."
Kircus ...
Woman's killer sentenced; Shelby family still baffled
Imlay City man gets 19 years in prison for honeymoon killing
PUBLISHED: March 2, 2005
By Jameson Cook
Macomb Daily Staff Writer
Jeff Alexandrowicz still doesn't understand it and probably never will. His
children probably won't either.
After a year and a half, they can't comprehend why Catherine
Alexandrowicz, 47, a seemingly happy Shelby Township homemaker, left
her family to marry Anthony Kircus, which turned out to be fatal decision.
Kircus, 33, formerly of Imlay City, was sentenced last week to 19 years in
prison by Judge Jeffrey Cates of Maricopa County Superior Court after
pleading guilty to second-degree murder for killing Catherine
Alexandrowicz in a Scottsdale, Ariz., hotel room while on their
honeymoon in 2003. Catherine Alexandrowicz had divorced her husband
Aug. 22, 2003, and married Kircus nine days later in Las Vegas.
Within a week of the marriage, she was left for dead in the hotel room,
brutally beaten and strangled by Kircus, who returned to Las Vegas to
gamble. Police arrested him within days in Vegas.
Catherine had met Kircus only about three months before their marriage
and had been socializing with a new group of friends as divorce
proceedings were ongoing.
At Friday's sentencing, Kircus told the judge he and Catherine were both
drunk when he killed her. He said he loved her and that they were
brought together "because we accepted each other's drinking," according
to an article in the East Valley Tribune newspaper in Arizona.
Police said Kircus had badly beaten Catherine in a Macomb Township
apartment a few weeks before her death.
Jeff Alexandrowicz told The Macomb Daily that although he is glad the
case is now over, after several delays in the outcome, the sentencing
didn't bring answers.
"I can't explain why a mother would abandon her five beautiful children
(now ages 3 to 16) for the sake of alcohol, nor explain her willingness to
marry a brutal stranger," Jeff said. "I can only say with certainty that she
lost a very long battle with her demon and it is very, very sad.
"The kids will forever search for answers to the question why. They know
how much she suffered and how horrifically she died. They will always
miss their mother and deal with the tremendous sadness."
Catherine's sister, Linda Kennedy, who lives in Arizona, told the
newspaper that her sister's relationship with Kircus was a "deep, dark
secret" and if the family had known about Kircus' background, they would
have intervened. It was revealed that Kircus had spent time in prison for a
drunken-driving crash and embezzlement, and had been accused of
choking and beating a former girlfriend in 2001.
Kircus is the brother of Detroit Lions wide receiver David Kircus.
The judge told Kircus he was fortunate because he will be able to leave
prison when he is 52. Jeff Alexandrowicz said Kircus is fortunate that
Arizona law is lenient and he should spend the rest of his life incarcerated
because the crime impacted so many people.
"Every holiday the children will have a cloud hanging over them," he said.
"They will miss their mother when they skin their knees, graduate, get
married and have babies."
Although the Alexandrowiczes had problems in their marriage, connected
to her drinking, she was described by relatives as being a good mother.
She was a Sunday school instructor and participated with her children in
activities in the neighborhood.
The family is recovering from the tragic turn of events, moving on with
their lives and are handling the emotional aftermath as well as can be
expected, said Jeff, who is getting married in July to a woman who has
three children. His children are active in school activities such as sports
and cheerleading, and their academics.
"The sun rises and each new day these five children rise to every
opportunity and obstacle life has for them with conquering smiles," he
said. "Don't get in their way. They are truly remarkable."
