A Northampton County man admitted in Carbon County court on Monday to shooting to death his rival in a romantic relationship both men had with the same woman.

John A. Martocci, 68, of Roseto, pleaded to a general charge of homicide, graded as third-degree murder, in the shooting death of Kenneth Knibiehly, at the victim’s residence at 12 Van Doren Mews, in Penn Forest Township, on April 6, 2020.

Judge Steven R. Serfass accepted the plea but deferred sentencing, ordering the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.

Serfass told Martocci, under state sentencing guidelines, he faces a minimum state prison term of somewhere between 90 to 240 months with a maximum term of 480 months.

Martocci, who has been in prison since his arrest following the shooting, is being held without bail because of the homicide charge.

Martocci said nothing during the plea hearing except to answer questions concerning his plea asked by Serfass.

District Attorney Michael S. Greek said the victim’s family agreed to the plea to third-degree murder. The charge of criminal homicide has three components. First-degree murder, which must be premeditated; second-degree murder, in which the person charge may not have committed the murder but was present or participated in the crime; and third-degree murder, which includes all other kinds of murder.

Greek gave the following account of the incident:

On April 6, 2020, Donna Swanson called 911 to report a shooting. She related she was in the residence at 12 Van Doren Mews, Penn Forest Township, with her boyfriend, the victim, Kenneth Knibiehly, and his father. Around 8 p.m. they heard dogs barking, indicating someone was outside.

They then heard a knock on the door and Knibiehly went downstairs to answer it. After about a minute he came back upstairs. Knibiehly retrieved a cordless phone and a handgun and went back downstairs. Swanson heard the Knibiehly speaking to a man and it sounded like a normal conversation, she then heard a gunshot and went downstairs where she saw Knibiehly on the floor in the doorway with a gunshot wound to the head.

State police saw Knibiehly in the doorway, holding the cordless phone with his handgun sticking out of the pocket of his bathrobe.

Swanson was interviewed and indicated that she was involved in on again/off again relationships with both Knibiehly and the defendant, John Martocci. Text messages to Swanson show Martocci was unhappy with Swanson’s current relationship with Knibiehly. Knibiehly has also in the past attempted to expose the relationship she had with Martocci to Martocci’s wife.

Review of the video tapes from the neighbors revealed a dark SUV driving in front to the Knibiehly’s residence. It was later identified as Martocci’s vehicle.

Martocci acknowledged the relationship with Swanson to police and also the situation between him and Knibiehly regarding Martocci’s wife.

Although initially denying being present, he admitted to driving to Knibiehly’s residence on April 6 and parking at a driveway behind the residence and going through a yard where dogs were barking.

A search warrant of Martocci’s residence resulted in a handgun being seized capable of firing the caliber of the round that killed Knibiehly and ammunition matching the type of round that killed Knibiehly.

Several members of the Knibiehly family were present for the hearing. Greek said they wanted to speak but said they would hold their comments until the sentencing proceeding, which should occur in about 90 days.

One neighbor did speak to the court. She said she and the victim had been neighbors for over 30 years and that he was always friendly and never a problem. She said one thing needed was “justice.” She added, “This was a calculated, coldblooded execution.”